COLUMBIA, S.C. - The advertising executive now running South Carolina's Democratic Party sees corporate logos on ballots as one way of helping his cash-strapped organization put on the first-in-the-South presidential primary.

Chairman Joe Erwin says he plans to seek corporate sponsorships to help raise $500,000 to hold the Feb. 3 primary.

"Some statewide corporation may want their company identified with democracy," Erwin said.

Erwin says the party has raised about $220,000 in gifts and pledges since he took office in May, but nearly half of that is needed just to keep the party's headquarters open and to cover payroll.

About three months ago, Erwin said the party was starting from scratch on raising the presidential primary money. At the time, the party decided to run the presidential primary as a state-funded affair, clearing the way for unlimited soft-money donations that won't have to be disclosed.

If a corporation wants to give a little extra to slap its name on a ballot or a media backdrop - or pretty much anything, Erwin will consider it. It's a takeoff on the way ballparks sell ads on scoreboards or seatbacks. "You do what you have to do as long as you do it legally and with integrity."

Erwin got the sponsorship bug after talking with Iowa Democrats, where the party plans to sell space on a media backdrop. No one there has signed on yet, party spokesman Mark Daley said.

The South Carolina party has not snagged a sponsor, either, and is still talking with lawyers about options.

"Everything will be done in good taste," assured Democratic Party Executive Director Nu Wexler.

"It's just about as absurd as they are," Luke Byars, executive director of the cash-flush state Republican Party. Republicans are enjoying the reversal of fortunes for the two parties. Two years ago Democratic coffers were full as Republicans waded into debt.

Paul Sanford, counsel for the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics, said selling space on election materials is probably legal.

But, he doesn't "think it's a good thing to commercialize the voting process. ... Just because it's not illegal, it doesn't mean it's a good thing."

It would be worse if the primary were canceled, Erwin said.

Sponsorships and logos "somewhat changes the nature of politics, but boy, isn't it consistent with the way things are changing?" he said.

Information from: The Charlotte Observer