COLUMBIA, S.C. - The state Democratic Party has asked Gov. Mark Sanford to order a new election in a state Senate race for the seat now held by Sen. Maggie Glover of Florence after charges of voting fraud surfaced.

State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin said an investigation by the State Law Enforcement Division is being requested.

"It involved aggregation of absentee ballots in nursing homes - people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease having ballots put in front of them," Erwin said. "We're going to get SLED to look into this."

The primary vote was among the state's tightest.

The initial tally had Tim Norwood advancing to a runoff with Glover. Kent Williams protested the result. A recount gave the runoff berth to Williams with a vote tally of 6,218 for Glover, 5,772 for Williams and 5,765 for Norwood, State Election Commission data shows.

Norwood protested the outcome, claiming that felons and probationers were allowed to vote and that nursing home residents were duped into signing absentee ballots.

On Thursday, Williams withdrew his protest, but Norwood's proceeded.

Evidence linked the absentee ballot solicitation to someone Williams' campaign paid and Williams denied that, Erwin said.

With an 18-3 vote around 1:40 a.m. Friday, the Democratic Party's executive committee upheld Norwood's protest and agreed to a new election.

While the law lets the governor set new elections as a last resort, "we have to be absolutely sure this isn't something the county election commission should handle first," Sanford spokesman Will Folks said Friday.

"We have received the request, and the governor's legal staff is currently reviewing it," Folks said.

Erwin said the state party, not counties, make that type of request.

If a new election is held, the same three candidates will be on the ballot, Erwin said. The ultimate primary winner faces no Republican challenger in November election.

Democrats also threw out Curtis Brantley's primary election challenge in his race against Rep. Thayer Rivers of Ridgeland. Rivers won the race with 2,517 votes to Brantley's 2,124.