Turnout steady, slightly down as voters go to polls in Columbia, 7 other Midlands cities, towns

Turnout was steady in at some places, up in others and unexpectedly low in one of Columbia’s largest African-American precincts Tuesday as voters cast ballots in municipal races across the Midlands.

In Columbia, five candidates are running against incumbent Cameron Runyan for one of council’s two at-large seats. And five candidates are running for the open seat in District 2, where Brian DeQuincey Newman is not running for re-election.

Polls are open until 7 p.m.

By mid-afternoon, turnout for Columbia municipal elections was running average to low at a small sampling of largely African-American precincts and about 50 percent larger than normal at a largely white precinct near Shandon.

“We’re not used to having this many people vote for one race,” said Ward 14 precinct clerk Helen Foley. “If we were voting for mayor, at the end of the day we might have this many.”

At 3 p.m., 126 ballots had been cast at Foley’s polling place at the Shandon fire station on Devine Street. Ward 23 has 1,200 active registered voters. “Something is getting them out. I’m not sure what it is.”

That result is different than in the large, normally high-turnout Greenview precinct.

“It is low,” precinct clerk Grace Thomas said at 4:15 p.m. of the 145 ballots cast from among 1,771 active registered voters.

Arthur Laudman, who was been a pollworker for four years, said even with low expectations for two contested seats on City Council – including the open District 2 seat – Greenview’s turnout is “kind of low,” he said.

At Martin Luther King Park, with 101 votes at 3:30 p.m., turnout was about average in a non-mayoral race. The precinct, which is Ward 33, has 1,086 active registered voters, poll clerk Jim Reid said.

Mid-afternoon, Lexington County election director Dean Crepes described turnout as “steady all day” in five communities with contests.

Voters in Irmo and West Columbia are settling mayoral and council races, while those in Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin and Pelion are making choices for council posts.

In Richland County, voters with questions or problems casting a ballot may call 803-576-2240.

COLUMBIA

Voters will fill two seats on council: One citywide representative, one District 2 representative. District 3 Councilman Moe Baddourah is unopposed and his name will not appear on the ballot.

Citywide candidates: John Adams, Joseph Azar, Howard Duvall, Nammu Muhammad, Cameron Runyan (incumbent) and Andy Smith.

District candidates: Aaron Bishop, Katie Fletcher Bolden, Doretha Bull, Alexzena Furgess and Ed McDowell Jr. The diverse district stretches from St. Andrews in the northwest part of Columbia through much of downtown to the Olympia neighborhood in the southern portion of the city.

BLYTHEWOOD

Mayoral candidate: Mayor Michael Ross is unopposed for a second term.

Council candidates: Newcomers Larry D. Griffin and Michelle Kiedrowski are seeking to fill the two years remaining on the term of former Councilman Robert Massa, who moved away. Four candidates are seeking two council seats: Eddie Baughman, Bryan Franklin, Malcolm Gordge and Robert Rue.

ARCADIA LAKES

Council candidates: Two seats will be filled and neither candidate has opposition. Linda Jackson is seeking a second term. Michael N. Smith is to return to the council he served on from 2001 through 2009.

WEST COLUMBIA

Mayoral candidates: Archie Ard, Madison Duncan, Bobby Horton and Joe Owens (incumbent)

City Council candidates:

District 2: Trevor Bedell, Jay Fain, Robin Lambert Johnson

District 4: Bobby George, Tem Miles (incumbent), Chuck Underhill

District 6: Jimmy Brooks, B.J. Unthank (incumbent)

District 8: Claude Martin, Teddy Wingard (incumbent)

IRMO

Mayoral candidates: Hardy King (incumbent), Paul Younginer

Council candidates: Mike Harris, Harvey Hoots (incumbent), Mark Pouliot, Julius Waites

BATESBURG-LEESVILLE

District 3: Steve Cain, Terry Wise

District 4: Rochelle Melvin-Bush, Charles Simpkins (incumbent)

District 6: Patrice Jones, Edward “Chip” Spradley

CHAPIN

Council candidates: Michael Clonts, Kay Hollis (incumbent), Mark McCandlish, Jim Palassis

PELION

Council candidates: Douglas Kaminer, Daniel Shumpert, Gene Yonce

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Turnout steady, slightly down as voters go to polls in Columbia, 7 other Midlands cities, towns."