Kershaw resolves vote issue

The state Democratic Party will not be blocked from holding its presidential primary Feb. 3 in the normal polling places in Kershaw County.

The county election commission called a special meeting Thursday in response to a letter from Kershaw County Republican Party chairman James D’Alessio.

D’Alessio said in the letter he was “deeply concerned” that the result of the special election to fillthe late Sen. Donald Holland’s seat could be called into question if the commission did not take steps to separate it from the Democratic presidential primary.

The Democratic Party set its Feb. 3 primary date before Holland died in October. The special election date was dictated by law and coincidentally fell on the same date as the primary.

The primary must be conducted and paid for by the state Democratic Party, while public funds are used for the special election.

Bill Nettles, a spokesman for the S.C. Democratic Party, argued that state law dictates that the primary be held in the county’s designated polling places and that the two voting events can be held in the same rooms but at different tables.

Steve Hamm, an attorney representing the county’s Republican Party, said the law does not dictate where the voting must be held for a primary.

He called for the commission to totally separate its election from the presidential primary.

“You raise a very serious issue if you’re suddenly having the Democratic preference straw poll event taking place anywhere near your election,” Hamm said.

“It has nothing to do with the (special) election. You would not allow other extraneous events to take place during a special election.”

Nettles said with the national spotlight on the S.C. primary, it is in the Democratic Party’s best interest to make sure the process runs smoothly.

“We’re going to follow the rules,” he said.

Commission members agreed that they would prefer to have the election and the primary held in separate places, but because of time constraints, they voted to allow them in same precincts but stressed that they would be kept completely separate.

Rep. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, and Kershaw County Council chairman Steve Kelly are running in the special election for Senate Seat 27, Holland’s former post.

Sheheen said he was disappointed by the effort to separate the polling places.

“It’s sad that the Republican Party would attempt to make it more difficult for people to vote in this election,” he said.

Kelly said he was given notice of the special meeting Tuesday, but was not informed about what the commission would be discussing. He had no other comment.

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8622 or krupon@thestate.com.