By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — After months of campaigning for a chance to be on the ballot for November’s general election, primary season is finally over in Pickens County following a runoff contest last Tuesday for two State House of Representatives seats.

The big winner of the day was retired businessman Jerry Carter, as he pulled away from current school board trustee Phillip Bowers for the Republican nomination for State House District 3. Carter managed to get nearly 62 percent of the vote and outgained Bowers 1,192 votes to 731 votes.
With the win, Carter will now face off with Democrat and local social worker Eunice Lehmacher, who ran unopposed in the primary, during the general election. The winner of that race will replace Gary Clary, who decided not to seek re-election.

In the race for State House District 5, things were a lot closer between three-term incumbent Neal Collins and local businessman Allan Quinn. Collins had an almost 1,000-vote edge during the primary but eked out the runoff win by only 200 votes. Overall, Collins managed 1,884 total votes compared to Quinn’s 1,684 votes.

Following his victory, Collins will head into November facing no opposition, as he looks to begin his fourth term representing the Easley area.

Voter turnout for this year’s primary runoff was drastically down compared to the 2018 election, with just 7.38 percent of registered voters casting ballots, compared to 18.47 percent two years ago.