By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

PICKENS COUNTY — After an election cycle that has seemed unusually long, Election Day is finally almost here.

According to the Pickens County Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County, absentee voting is well underway. In-person absentee voting ends at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.

The in-person absentee voting precinct is available at the county administration building at 222 McDaniel Ave. in Pickens between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, Monday through Friday, and the office will also have special Saturday hours this week from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

According to figures provided on the county voter registration office’s website, as of Oct. 25, the elections office had mailed 1,525 absentee ballots and 1,644 voters had voted in person at the elections office. Elections office personnel had also emailed 91 ballots to military and overseas citizens who qualify under federal voting laws.

Absentee voting figures are on par with recent presidential general elections, according to the elections office.

Pickens County had a total of 5,377 absentee voters in the 2008 presidential general election.

In the 2012 presidential general election, Pickens County had a total of 5.483 absentee voters.

A list of general election voting locations and sample ballots can be found at the elections office website at pickenselections.org.

The presidential and vice presidential race includes several candidates who have not received national media attention.

Voters will choose from the tickets of Democrats Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence, Libertarian Party candidates Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Amaju Baraka, Constitution Party candidates Darrell Castle and Scott Bradley and American Party candidates Peter Skewes and Michael Lacey.

Although they are permitted to do so in other races, South Carolina voters are not allowed to write in candidates for the offices of president and vice president.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican, faces several challengers in the race to keep his seat. Thomas Dixon is representing both the Democratic and Green parties. Bill Bledsoe is representing both the Constitution and Libertarian parties. Rebel Michael Scarborough is the American Party candidate.

Congressman Jeff Duncan will face opposition from Democrat Hosea Cleveland in the District 3 race, and voters are allowed to write-in candidates for this office.

Rex Rice faces no other opposition in the S.C. Senate District 2 race after defeating incumbent Larry Martin in the Republican primary this year.

S.C. District 1 Sen. Thomas Alexander also faces no opposition.

There are several State House of Representative races on the general election ballot.

District 3 Rep. Gary Clary faces opposition from Libertarian candidate Travis L. McCurry., while District 4 Rep. Davey Hiott will face Libertarian Joey Lum.

District 5 Rep. Neal Collins will be unopposed after defeating Rick Tate in the Republican primary.

For the S.C. House District 10 seat, incumbent Republican Joshua Putnam faces Democrat Anna Brown.

Clemson Mayor J.C. Cook faces no opposition in his race for another term, but seven candidates are vying for three seats on Clemson City Council. Incumbents Crossie Cox, John Ducworth and Jim Oswald will try to retain their seats against the challenges of Mark Cato, Eunice Lehmacher, Drake McNeary and Christine Minor.

There is only one contested Pickens County School Board race. Incumbent Alex Saitta faces Shannon Haskett for the District 3 seat. Two other candidates are running unopposed — Betty Garrison for the District 5 seat currently held by Judy Edwards and Betty Bagley for the District 1 seat, left vacated by the death earlier this year of Dr. Herb Cooper.

Many county office holders faced no opposition in the June primary and are running unopposed in the general election. Clerk of court Pat Welborn, treasurer Dale Looper, auditor Brent Suddeth and coroner Kandy Kelley face no opposition. Sheriff Rick Clark also faces no opposition after defeating Tim Morgan in the Republican primary.

Having defeated their opponents in the primary, four Pickens County Council candidates face no opposition on the November ballot. Wes Hendricks (District 3), Roy Costner (District 4), Chris Bowers (District 5) and Carl Hudson (District 6) are running unopposed.

George Bryant is running for Soil and Water District Commissioner.

Some county voters will vote for watershed commissioners.

There are two seats to fill on the Brushy Creek Watershed District Commission. Eric McConnell, Gary Nevil and Scott Smart are running for the seats.

There are three seats to fill on the Georges Creek Watershed District Commission. John H. Cutchin faces Remsen Stewart Bauknight, who filed as a write-in candidate.

There are two seats to fill on the Oolenoy Watershed District Commission. David R. Gilstrap and Drake Curry are running.

There are three seats to fill on the Three and Twenty Watershed District Commission. J. Mark Bishop, W.H. McAbee III and Phil Tripp are running.

Some county voters will get to weigh in on referendums.

Residents of the Shady Grove Rural Fire District will see this question on their ballots: “Shall the fire tax millage rate for the Shady Grove Rural Fire District be increased by 4.6 mils in order to correct the current operating deficit, and provide additional manpower and improve fire protection and emergency response for the District?”

Two Pickens County municipalities will vote on Sunday alcohol sales.

Central voters will see the following ballot question: “Shall the South Carolina Department of Revenue be authorized to issue temporary permits in this Central, SC for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours to allow the possession, sale, and consumption of alcoholic liquors by the drink to bona fide nonprofit organizations and business establishments authorized to be licensed for consumption-on-premises sales and to allow the sale of beer and wine at permitted off-premises locations without regard to the days or hours of sales?”

Easley voters will also vote on Sunday alcohol sales. Their ballot questions reads as follows: “Shall the South Carolina Department of Revenue be authorized to issue temporary permits in the City of Easley for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours to allow possession, sale, and consumption of alcoholic liquors by the drink to bona fide nonprofit organizations and business establishments authorized to be licensed for consumption-on-premises sales and all the sale of beer and wine at permitted off-premises locations without regard to the days or hours of sales?”