COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal judge has dismissed state Sen. Maggie Glover's lawsuit claiming the state Democratic Party violated voting laws by ordering a new primary election for her seat in June.

In the June 8 primary, Tim Norwood appeared to be in a runoff with Glover. But a recount later that week found Marion County Deputy Administrator Kent Williams in the runoff with seven more votes than Norwood. Norwood then appealed the results and brought allegations of voting fraud to the state party. The party threw out the results and ordered a new primary with Glover, Williams and Norwood on the ballot.

Glover and Williams appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, but the court refused to hear the case.

In the federal trial, Glover's lawyers argued that state party didn't follow the law in handling the primary election protest and disenfranchised black voters.

"When you elect a candidate by manipulating the process, you deny the voters the right to vote," Brenda Reddix-Smalls told U.S. District Judge Terry Wooten during a hearing last month.

In his ruling Friday, Wooten said the record did not show any "denial or abridgment" of the right of any citizen's right to vote. "If a new primary is held, all eligible citizens will once again be afforded the right to vote for the candidate of their choice," Wooten said.

During the trial, people supporting Glover testified they would vote in a new election. "There has been no showing by the plaintiffs that they or others would be denied the right to vote on account of their race and/or color in a new primary election," Wooten said.

With evidence of voting fraud, Norwood said, a new election is the only just way to settle the District 30 primary race. "Finally, we can move forward after seven or eight weeks of delays by candidates Williams and Glover in their efforts to stop a new election," Norwood said. "We've gone through the state and federal courts, and we're right back where we were June 17," he said.

Glover said she and her attorneys are still looking into her options at this point.

"To say that I'm disappointed in the judge's decision would be an understatement," Glover said. "I really don't understand his ruling. He makes no recommendation, and he offers no solution. To me, he has truly violated the law with this ruling."

Williams said he believes it's time to move on. "I'm glad the court has made a ruling so we can get on and bring closure to this," Williams said. "The voters spoke once, and they said they want new leadership in District 30. Now they'll have the opportunity to speak a second time. It's time to get back to what matters and let the people decide."

Gov. Mark Sanford is in the process of setting a new election date and could do so within a week, Will Folks, his spokesman, said.