Senate District 20 Special Election Gained More Traction Than Expected

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– There will soon be new blood in the District 20 Senate seat. Tuesday, voters hit the polls to make sure their candidate’s name will be on the ballots in November. At A.C. Moore Elementary, poll workers have seen more than 15% of the voters in their precinct turn out and for a special election in August, they are happy with that number.

“It’s good for special election even though the percentage figure doesn’t sound good. And it’s been steady,” Nancy Brock said, a poll worker at A.C. Moore Elementary.

“More people are coming in as we thought. More than I thought originally,” Jerry Clerk said, a poll worker at Lourie Senior Center. 

On the Democratic side, you have Dick Harpootlian, Kyle Lacio, and Dayna Smith. On the Republican side, you have Christian Stegmaier, Bill Turbeville, Benjamin Dunn and John Holler. Political commentator Antjuan Seawright said this is a good gauge of how amped up voters will be in November.

“Our elections are even more important nowadays. I don’t care if you’re democrat or republican, showing up and voting and making your voice heard is critical to the functioning of our democracy,” Seawright said. 

Many voters said they felt compelled to get the right names on the ballot for November because they want to make sure the corruption in the statehouse is put to an end. District 20’s Senate seat is vacant because former Senator John Courson had to step down after pleading guilty to misconduct in office.

“It manifests throughout the state. I think what Solicitor Pascoe was able to find out, getting guilty pleads… He’s uncovered a vein of dishonesty which I think has been running in South Carolina for a period of time,” John Delgado said. 

“But the closer your government is to you, the more important it is for you. So we just have to see how that trickles down to SC. dist 20 tonight and how it’ll trickle down to SC voters in November,” Seawright said. 

We will update the story with results as soon as they come in.