Early voting open for county’s municipalities

By Judith Brown, Staff Writer

EARLY VOTES – Laurens County Voting and Elections clerk Mike Williams instructs John Adams of Laurens on how to activate the ballot-marking device Tuesday afternoon, just a day after early voting for county municipal elections opened on Monday morning. Photos by Judith Brown.

Laurens County, South Carolina – Less than two full days after early voting began, about 1 percent of certified voters in the City of Laurens have already voted for mayoral and council positions.

A three-way race for mayor and one city council seat are being contested in Laurens, while three hopefuls are running for mayor and eight candidates are vying for three council seats in Clinton.

“It’s hard to say how it’s going to go because it’s only been two days and we haven’t had early voting for a city election before,” said Lynne West, director of the Voter Registration and Elections for Laurens County. “Traditionally municipal elections have lower turnout, but we hope having early voting available will help.”

Early voting opened Monday morning and is available each weekday from 8:30-5 p.m. and will run through 5 p.m. on Friday, March 3, ahead of the Tuesday, March 7 election.

About 20 voters from the City of Clinton had already been to vote and a handful of voters from Waterloo and Gray Court cast ballots at the county’s new Voter Registration offices, which opened last year at 105 Bolt Drive in Laurens. All early voting must take place at the Voter Registration offices.

On Election Day, Tuesday, March 7, a total 14 precincts will be open throughout Laurens and Clinton, and in Waterloo and Gray Court. Gray Court and Owings will be combined at Gray Court Town Hall. Cross Hill will hold municipal elections in two years.

The Advertiser has included Q&As from candidates involved in contested races in Laurens and Clinton in the March 22 print issue.