County, state will handle Atlantic Beach election

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has ordered state and Horry County officials to conduct the next election in Atlantic Beach.

The governor signed an order Friday setting the election date as May 22 and taking the running of the election out of the town’s hands.

The May election replaces last November’s balloting, which was overturned by Atlantic Beach’s Municipal Election Commission. But the commission still hasn’t released a written order explaining its ruling or scheduled a new election.

The new election will have the same candidates for mayor and two at-large council seats.

Atlantic Beach has had a number of election problems. Three contests have reached the South Carolina Supreme Court, and the last two elections have been overturned by the Municipal Election Commission.