Primary runoffs set for Tuesday, early voting through Friday

Local candidates in this past week’s Primary elections were able to avoid runoffs scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, but two statewide races – one Democratic and one Republican – are still up for grabs.

Polls for the runoffs will be contested Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Early voting starts today (Wednesday) and lasts through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. each day at the new Laurens County Voter Registration offices. Voters who voted in the June 14 Primary are allowed to vote only in the same party’s runoff. Those who did not vote on June 14 can vote in any runoff for which they are eligible.

On the Republican side, Superintendent of Education candidates Kathy Maness and Ellen Weaver were the top two vote-getters in a six-way Primary race. Maness earned 30.6% of the vote and Weaver had 23.3%. The winner will face Democrat Lisa Ellis in the November General Election.

Democrats Catherine Fleming Bruce (34.7%) and Krystie Matthews (33.2%) are in a runoff to face Republican incumbent Tim Scott for the U.S. Senate.