Even the nonprofit environmental group's director, Dana Beach, concedes it might sway only about 1,000 votes on Nov. 2, less than 1 percent of the more than 100,000 votes that could be cast.

But while the league might not represent a powerful political bloc, it has emerged as the most visible and vocal opponent to the tax, which would raise $1.3 billion over about 25 years for new roads, bridges, public transit and parks and open space.

In an election expected to be squeaky-close -- the county's previous two tax votes had ratios narrower than 51-49 percent -- supporters would like as few enemies as possible.

There's another reason the league's opposition matters. Unlike many of the sales-tax enemies, the league doesn't consider itself anti-tax.

If advocates manage to win over the league, that could blunt one of the sharper criticisms leveled at the tax: That the county hasn't done enough to assure voters it will solve local problems instead of creating new ones and that it will be a "slush fund" for local politicians.

Unlike Beaufort County, which is asking voters to approve a five-year sales tax for specific projects, Charleston County is asking for a tax that would last 25 years and give future county councils the discretion to choose which road projects to build.

College of Charleston political science professor Bill Moore said that's a liability.

"I think the main drawback in terms of the proposal is the lack of specifics," he said. "It does not have specifics in terms of how that money will be spent."

While County Council is not able to identify exactly which road projects will get the money, it took a step Thursday to flesh out the process by which the decisions will be made. Council gave initial approval to an ordinance that would require a comprehensive transportation plan with a 25-year view, if the tax were to pass.

That addresses one of the league's two specific requests, that the county undertake a master plan to ensure the new road money eases, not causes, congestion. The other request is for an advisory group appointed by -- but not made up of -- elected officials.

On Tuesday, council members are scheduled to vote again on the plan, and that vote, plus any amendments, is expected to decide whether the league is friend or foe.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to kick off its campaign Thursday, a campaign expected to surpass the $200,000 that the business group spent in 2002.

That campaign strategy will vary by neighborhood, said Mary Graham of the chamber.

"In Mount Pleasant, this is a road and bridge issue. In North Charleston, it's more of a CARTA (Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority) issue," she said. "We're going to let each community know what's in it for them."

Brian Moody, who is leading the chamber's pro-sales tax campaign, said he is encouraged by the debate being about roads and how the county will spend the money rather than in previous years, when the debate was more about whether the tax was needed.

"Now we're hearing trust issues. Now we're hearing accountability issues, and that's OK. That's where the debate belongs," he said.

Beach said the Coastal Conservation League isn't sure what it might spend, but if it remains opposed, it also expects to campaign more aggressively than it did in 2002.

About 20,000 more people could go to the polls this year than two years ago, largely because presidential elections traditionally have the biggest turnouts. Moore said it's tricky to know which way all those extra voters might lean.

"If you had a referendum for roads only, it would probably pass. If it were for CARTA only, it would probably fail. If it were for green space only, it would probably fail. You have green space on there, but the environmentalists don't like it. What does that tell you?" he said.

The bottom line: Every vote counts.

Moore said voters sympathetic to the Coastal Conservation League's view "could be the votes that pass it or defeat it."

The league has about 2,000 members in the county. "You're talking about having the influence of over 2,000 people. That's a 4,000 vote swing," he said.

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