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Carie Cole and her husband Mike Cole are assisted by Oconee County Voter Registration & Elections office employee Teara Price Thursday afternoon as they vote absentee. Numbers of absentee voters are roughly 500 daily at the Oconee County Voter Registration & Elections office in Walhalla.
The longest and most expensive election in U.S. history will end next Tuesday.
Although much of the country has collectively complained of election overload, a record voter turnout is expected and has already begun. By mid-week, neighboring North Carolina had recorded more than one million early voters. Other early-voting states were reporting similar interest.
Even in South Carolina, where Republicans are expected to buck a national tide of Democratic victories and keep the state solidly in the "red" column, absentee voting has been very heavy. More than 218,000 absentee ballots had been cast as of Tuesday.
Elections officials say that is a good indication of an equally busy Election Day.
More than 308,000 new voters were registered statewide for this election.
If a 20-month election marathon was not enough, the top men of both major party tickets have prompted massive interest in this election. Democrat Barack Obama is the first black man to lead a major party ticket, and Republican John McCain has had to buck the stigma of the current administration by touting a platform of "change." McCain also hiked voter interest by his selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
At the national level, incumbent Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is expected to have little trouble winning re-election, something that may prove a rarity among senators who have tied themselves so closely to the top of the GOP ticket. Likewise, Upstate U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett is expected to win re-election to what may be his final term. Barrett has indicated an interest in running for governor in two years.
At the state level, incumbent Republican Thomas Alexander is being challenged by Constitution Party candidate Polly Nicolay, while her fellow Constitution Party member, Susie Cornelius, is taking on Oconee County Treasurer Greg Nowell. Pickens County Senator Larry Martin is unopposed on Tuesday after winning a GOP primary in June.
While Republican State Representatives Bill Whitmire (Walhalla) and Bill Sandifer (Seneca) are unopposed, BR Skelton in Pickens County and Don Bowen, who represents Anderson and a small portion of Oconee County, both face Democratic challengers.
County Races
At the local level, races for school board of trustee seats in both Oconee and Pickens counties have prompted a good deal of interest.
In Oconee County's District 5, incumbent Harry Mays is ending a 22-year run on the board and is not seeking re-election. Three candidates are vying for his seat, including former Oconee School Superintendent Buddy Herring. Also in Oconee, incumbent Ken Poston has been engaged in an active campaign against District 4 challenger Rosemary Bailes.
In Pickens County, maverick board member Alex Saitta is being opposed in the third district and is touting his solo vote against a $315 million building program approved by the board in 2007. In District 5, another vacancy is being sought by a trio of candidates: Dale Cantrell, Essie Clark and Judy Edwards.
Also at the county level, Pickens County voters will be deciding a contested sheriff's race with 40-year incumbent Republican C. David Stone expected to get the nod. Pickens voters in Council District 3 will also be deciding a contested race that features former NFL player and coach Sam Wyche on the GOP ticket.
In addition to the treasurer race in Oconee, two County Council seats are up for grabs with zoning, spending and fire protection being the debated issues. In District 5, Reg Dexter, who unseated incumbent Frank Ables in June, is battling Democrat Dick Hughes, while in the Westminster district, businessman Joel Thrift is representing the Republican Party against former educator and Democrat Bryan Jenkins. GOP incumbent Marion Lyles has chosen not to seek re-election.
Information and candidate responses to Daily Journal/Messenger questions, as well as information on three constitutional referendums and a sample ballot appear in today's Daily Journal/Messenger.
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October 31, 2008
11:45 a.m.Report inappropriate content
The culture of hatred, judgement and fear is about to come to an end with the likely election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States. A truly Christian nation cannot support a campaign, or administration, of deceptive fearmongers anymore. Christ is not about fear, and how the Christian community has allowed itself to be hijacked by people who succeed only because they propogate fear through lies is a mystery. God made the world, and made mankind to honor Him through His beautiful works. How a "Christian" nation can support the destruction of this perfection by "drill baby drill" or "mine baby mine" instead of "conserve for your babies" is a mystery. And how a nation which guarantees freedom of religion can allow, even promote, the hatred of any faith, is certainly not a "United" States, and it most certainly is not a "Christian" nation. No one knows God's plan, and to elect a person to the White House who claims to is to complete the total rejection of the US by the world community that was started by G.W.Bush. We cannot afford another flawed foreign policy of bluster and hubris. The condescending self-righteousness must come to an end if we wish to regain our place as world leaders. No one wants to sit at the table with sanctimonious hypocrites.
If you are a Christian, a person of love and compassion, there is only one candidate. Barack Obama. If you are a person of fear and hatred, then get down on your knees this Sunday and pray for God's forgiveness, because you have allowed the real devil into your heart. Do not allow him in the voting booth.
October 31, 2008
12:24 p.m.Report inappropriate content
If you are a Christian, then you will change you sgin in name to Godloveseveryone. And, by the way, you only need to post this DUMB stuff, once.
October 31, 2008
4:31 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Oh, and why didn't the Daily Journal mention candidates Bob Conley and Jane Dyer in its paragraph on the US Senate and US House of Representative races? Does this newspaper think we can't see through that facade of media UNfairness?
If Barrett is truly running for Governor (and everyone says he is, even this newspaper), why should we elect him and pay him $165,000 a year to campaign for ANOTHER office??? That is stealing money out of the taxpayer's pockets.
October 31, 2008
5:12 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Classy1 - I read most newspapers with skepticism and an expectation of bias and I am rarely disappointed. This little paper may at times be somewhat amateurish, but in my view, they don't have a political agenda. With respect to Barrett, ostensibly he will serve his constituents during his campaign, just like every other incumbent. Give him a break; if he ran on a promise of not seeking higher office, then broke his promise, I'd stand next to you in calling for his defeat.
October 31, 2008
9:51 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Godloveseveryone....with all due respect..your last paragraph pretty well tells everyone you are completely out of touch with reality. Everyone is welcome to their own opinion but I think this is going a little far. This sounds a bit like a brainwashed kool-aid drinker.
November 3, 2008
5:50 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I am "a Christian, a person of love and compassion" and I could never vote for Obama. Electing Obama will be a huge mistake.
God does love everyone, but He doesn't approve of everythinbg we do. Everyone knows that God loves even the sinner, but won't admit that Gods hates the sins they commit.