Democrats lead across Darlington County ballot as turnout tops 57 percent

Democrat candidates held leads in every contested statewide and federal race on the ballot in Darlington County on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the General Election. Voters also approved a Board of Education bond referendum by a wide margin.

The report shows all 32 precincts, including absentee and early voting precincts, reporting. County election officials counted 23,715 ballots among 41,427 registered voters, a turnout of 57.25 percent. Early voting accounted for 11,700 ballots, Election Day for 11,527, and absentee-by-mail for 487.

The closest of the top-of-ticket contests was the race for governor. Democrat Jermaine Johnson and running mate Sam Skardon received 11,780 votes (50.12 percent), ahead of Republican Alan Wilson and Mike Reichenbach with 11,396 (48.49 percent), a margin of 384 votes. United Citizens Party candidate Michael Addison received 238 votes, and Green Party candidate Walid Hakim received 68.

In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Annie Andrews had 12,693 votes (53.94 percent), compared with 10,400 (44.19 percent) for Republican incumbent Darline Graham. Libertarian Kasie Whitener received 226 votes and Constitution Party candidate Mark Hackett received 172.

Democrat John Gregory Vincent led Republican Russell Fry 12,151 to 11,311 (51.73 percent to 48.15 percent) in the county’s portion of the U.S. House District 7 race.

Democrats led in all six other statewide races on the ballot:

Secretary of State: Jason Belton (D) 11,914, Mark Hammond (R) 11,461

State Treasurer: Vincent Coe (D) 12,022, Curtis Loftis (R) 11,359

Attorney General: Richard Hricik (D) 11,980, David Stumbo (R) 11,397

Comptroller General: Tiffany Boozer (D) 12,010, Mike Burkhold (R) 11,316

Superintendent of Education: Sylvia Wright (D) 12,152, Ellen Weaver (R) 11,089, Baba Amin Ojuok (UNC) 192

Commissioner of Agriculture: DeShawn Blanding (D) 11,677, Cody Simpson (R) 11,311,

Michael Sullens (LIB) 273, Chris Nelums (UNC) 175

In the straight-party option, 9,198 voters (56.01 percent) chose Democrat and 7,114 (43.32 percent) chose Republican, among 16,422 straight-party votes.

The results show a clear split by voting method. In the governor’s race, Johnson received 6,944 early votes to Wilson’s 4,511, and 400 absentee votes to Wilson’s 78. Wilson led among Election Day voters, 6,807 to 4,435.

Voters also approved the Board of Education Bond Referendum, with 15,005 (68.56 percent) voting yes and 6,882 (31.44 percent) voting no.

In the state House, Democrat Bruce M. Wallace led Republican Richard “Richie” Yow in District 53, 745 to 690. Republican Cody T. Mitchell led Democrat Tanisha Baskin in District 65, 4,943 to 2,566 (65.71 percent to 34.11 percent). Democrats Jason Luck (District 54) and Robert Williams (District 62) ran unopposed.

Republican Jeff Robinson was unopposed for Probate Judge and received 14,882 votes.

On County Council, Democrat Antonio McFarland led Republican Brady Hill in District 2, 2,074 to 1,090 (65.47 percent to 34.41 percent). Republican Bobby Hudson (District 4), Democrat Albert Davis III (District 6) and Republican David H. Coker (District 8 ) were unopposed.

For the two seats on the Soil and Water District Commission, William W. Kirven IV received 7,537 votes and Gregory Dayne Brown received 6,830.

Unopposed school board candidates were Leigh Anne Kelley (District 1), Audrey DuBose Gore (District 3), Amanda Thompsen (District 5) and Wanda Hassler (District 7). No candidates filed for the three-seat Palmetto Fire District Commissioner race, which drew only write-in votes (58 total).

The election results will be certified later this week.