SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Democrat Harold Mitchell has won a special election to fill a vacant South Carolina House of Representatives seat here, getting 95 percent of the vote in the traditionally Democratic district.

Mitchell received 1,080 votes, in unofficial returns Tuesday. Republican Joe Burgess received 49 votes.

Former Rep. Brenda Lee, D-Spartanburg, resigned earlier this year to join the state Office of Regulatory Staff.

Mitchell, 40, said apathy is one of the problems he hopes to address. Fewer than 10 percent of the registered voters in the district participated.

"It feels good, but its kind of sad looking at the numbers," said Mitchell. "This next go round, you're going to see a different looking area. We're really going to put the punch back into this community."

Mitchell will be up for re-election next year for a full two-year term.