Republicans, some Democrats to vote in Trout-Selby runoff

e-mail this story

State and local election officials said Monday that the law is not clear, but that the second runoff between sitting councilman Steve Selby and challenger Tony Trout will offer Republicans as well as Democrats inactive during the earlier primary a chance to vote.

Trout's attorney Bill Foster said he has no problem with the Election Commission's decision. Selby's attorney, Samuel Harms, said the voter pool is one of two acceptable choices.

Still at issue are the merits of the county's voter list, which caused a ruckus when Selby finished the previous runoff 18 votes behind Trout and successfully protested the results to the Republican Party by alleging there were illegal voters, including a felon, people who had already cast Democratic primary ballots and at least one person who voted twice.

Trout appealed the GOP's decision to the state Supreme Court, but was denied a hearing.

County Election Commission chairman Conway Belangia said parties including the state GOP, the candidates and the Election Commission must now agree on a clear procedure for challenging any questionable votes at the polls and sealing them for later review.

Also, Gov. Mark Sanford has yet to name a date for the new runoff. Belangia has recommended Sept. 7.

Harms said Selby's campaign will post observers at polling places to monitor voting and look for ineligible voters.

Foster said that's in line with the established procedure for challenging votes, and it's the way the Selby campaign should have addressed suspect votes to begin with.

The verbal lobs didn't end there.

Harms said, "If more Republicans than Democrats come out, then Mr. Selby's going to win."

"I disagree with that," Foster said, "I don't agree that all Republicans think like Mr. Selby."

Marci Andino, executive director for the state Election Commission, said the disputed race amounts to "new waters" for the state, though she agrees with the state GOP and Belangia in limiting the voter pool to those who did not vote in the June 8 Democratic primary.

"It is not clear in the law, but that is our position" since Democratic primary voters, if allowed to vote in this runoff, "would get two votes for the same office, potentially," she said.

At question had been whether the latest polling round between Selby and Trout constituted an entirely new election or simply a redone runoff, Andino said.

Luke Byars, executive director of the state GOP, said although the party doesn't have decision-making power over who's allowed to vote, he agrees with the decision and is working to help communication between involved parties since it was drawn into the dispute by Selby's protest.

The registration lists now under the microscope are checked by poll workers and show a voter's name, address and election district. Poll workers also color a box to indicate which primary voters participate in, and their party affiliations must endure through the runoff.