More than one party could nominate Democrat James Smith for SC governor

Update: James Smith has withdrawn his request for the nominations of the Green and Working Families parties.

COLUMBIA, SC — State Rep. James Smith wants to be nominated for South Carolina’s governor.

Again.

The S.C. House member from Columbia secured the Democratic nomination for governor in his party’s June primary. Now, he and running mate Mandy Powers Norrell have filed for the nominations of two minor parties as well.

Smith and Norrell could be the nominees of the Green and Working Families parties in addition to running as Democrats, according to filings with the S.C. Election Commission. The Democrats also filed for the Libertarian Party nomination for governor but withdrew that application Friday.

In South Carolina, a candidate has the option of running under more than one party nomination as a “fusion” candidate. Third parties nominate their candidates for governor by convention instead of by a voter primary.

If the Democrats get the two additional nominations, their names would appear on the ballot three times alongside Republican nominee Henry McMaster and American Party candidate Martin Barry. All of the votes cast for Smith and Norrell would be added up to get their total. Getting the three nominations also would deny another candidate the chance to run under the other parties’ labels.

The Libertarian Party will have no nominee for governor, party Chairman Stewart Flood said Friday. However, a party committee will consider Smith’s now-withdrawn application at its monthly meeting Saturday. “But I don’t expect him to get it,” Flood said.

Both the Green and Working Families parties have nominated Democrats in other S.C. races.

The filing deadline for third-party candidates is noon on Aug. 15. No other candidates have filed for the two minor parties as of Friday.

David Whiteman, treasurer of the S.C. Green Party, said the party settled on its nominations at a convention in May. But the Green Party’s steering committee could decide on Smith’s request for the nomination at its monthly meeting Sunday.

“A candidate will sometimes come to us after the Democratic primary and ask for the nomination then,” Whiteman said.

This story was originally published August 3, 2018 at 5:03 PM.