PICKENS COUNTY — Although some local elections in South Carolina have been postponed due to COVID-19, the June 9 statewide primary is fast approaching — and according to the S.C. Elections Commission (SEC), the election (for now) is scheduled to proceed “business as usual.”
“The June 9 Statewide Primaries and June 23 Runoffs are set to proceed as scheduled. The SEC has no authority to delay the primaries or deviate from current law in conducting elections,” the SEC stated in a recent release. “Voting options remain unchanged. Voters should prepare now to exercise their right to vote by choosing the best option for them.”
Being mindful of the pandemic, the SEC is urging qualifying voters to vote absentee. Qualifications include having a disability, attending a sick or disabled person, or being age 65 or older.
Additionally, election officials stated they are working to source sneeze guards for check-in stations, protective gear for poll managers and cotton swabs for making selections on the touch screens. Stations and voting machines will be placed at least 6 feet apart, they said.
In Pickens County, depending on your address, your ballot is likely to include several races in the Primary — including two County Council seats, Districts 3 (Pickens) and 6 (Dacusville).
Roy Costner in District 4 (Liberty) and Chris Bowers in District 5 (Easley) are also up for reelection, but are unopposed in the June 9 Primary, according to election filings.
A full list of candidates running is below. Candidates are listed alphabetically, with incumbents noted by an asterisk.
County Council District 3 (Pickens)
Jerry Carter
Debbie Gravely
Wes Hendricks*
Tim Robinson
Alex Saitta
County Council District 6 (Dacusville)
Derrick Craft
Darrell Gibbs
Henry Wilson
Sheriff
Rick Clark*
David Harrison
State House of Representatives District 3
Phillip Bowers
William Masters
State House of Representatives District 5
Neal Collins*
David Cox
Allan Quinn
State House of Representatives District 10
West Cox*
Mark Durham
US Senate
Duke Buckner
Lindsey Graham*
Michael LaPierre
Joe Reynolds
US House of Representatives District 3 (Democratic)
Hosea Cleveland
Mark D. Welch
* Incumbents
