Few races and heavy weather may keep voters away from the polls during today's primaries, where a smattering of partisan seats are up for grabs in Beaufort and Jasper counties.

In Beaufort, County Council Vice Chairman W.R. "Skeet" Von Harten will take on challenger Tommy O'Brien for Burton's District 9 seat in the Republican primary. The winning candidate will take on Democrat Reuben Greene in November.

Democrat William H. Ladson will defend his District 6 seat representing most of the area north of the Whale Branch River against Gerald Dawson. Since there was no Republican filing for the seat, today's winner will have to wait for petition filing to close July 15 to determine whether there will be a challenger in November.

South of the Broad River, Republicans Richard Chalk and Beaufort County Councilwoman Starletta Hairston will compete for the House District 123 seat left open by outgoing Rep. JoAnne Gilham, who is not seeking a fourth term.

Agnes Garvin, director of the county's Elections and Voter Registration Office, said Monday that she didn't expect a large voter turnout.

"There aren't that many races on the ballot," she said. "I'd be surprised if we hit 30 percent."

Weather woes also may slow some poll activity Tuesday. Isolated thunderstorms are expected to greet voters throughout the day in both counties, according to weather.com.

"Every time it rains you get a lower turnout," Garvin said.

Some voters will be heading to new locations to vote in today's primary.

The Beaufort 2 voting district has permanently moved to the Greene Street Gym, while several other polling places have temporarily moved:

St. Helena 1A has moved to Darrah Hall at Penn Center;

St. Helena 1B has moved to Orange Grove Baptist Church, 189 Orange Grove Road; and

St. Helena 2C has moved to the Fripp Island fire station, 289 Tarpon Blvd.

The partisan battles in Jasper County are strictly Democratic, with County Councilwoman Barbara Clark defending her Hardeeville seat against county development board member Leroy Blackshear; Councilman Paul Max Malphrus is taking on challenger Fred Tuten for the Pocotaligo seat; and Councilwoman Gladys Jones will battle two challengers for her at-large seat, previous council members Samuel Gregory and D.P. Lowther.

Voters in Jasper will also decide their Democratic candidate for the District 122 House seat. Two-term Rep. Thayer Rivers is defending his seat against Curtis Brantley, a former Jasper County School District superintendent.

Voters also will be asked to decide who will be the Republican and Democrat candidates vying to run for the U.S. Senate seat of outgoing Democratic Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings.

Former Gov. David Beasley, former Attorney General Charlie Condon, Bluffton businesswoman Orly Benny Davis, U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride and Charleston businessman Thomas Ravenel will square off for the GOP nomination.

The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate will feature the incumbent state superintendent of education, Inez Tenenbaum, against Ben Frasier, a former police officer and aide to the late Rep. L. Mendel Rivers Sr.