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South Carolina State Senate elections, 2012

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South Carolina's 2012 elections
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South Carolina State Senate elections, 2012
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South Carolina State Senate •2012 South Carolina House Elections
State legislative elections in 2012

Elections for the office ofSouth Carolina State Senate were held inSouth Carolina onNovember 6, 2012. Atotal of 46 seats were up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 30, 2012. The primary Election Day was June 12, 2012. The primary runoff took place on June 26, 2012.[1]

See also:South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2012 andState legislative elections, 2012

Legal challenges to candidate eligibility

Legal challenges led to the removal of nearly 250 candidates from the primary ballot during the primaries. Here is a brief timeline of those events, followed by a detailed account of what happened.

  • March 30: Deadline for candidates to file a required statement of economic interest. Many candidates from both parties fail to do so.[2]
  • Week of April 16: TheSouth Carolina State Ethics Commission gives candidates an additional 10 days to turn in the form.[3]
  • May 2: TheSouth Carolina Supreme Court rules any candidate who did not file the form must be removed from the ballot. Calls for a rehearing are denied.[2]Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title The Court ordered political parties to remove any candidates who had not met both requirements from the primary ballots.Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
  • May 9: While the Senate attempts to pass legislation to allow challengers back on the ballot, attorney Todd Kincannon requests a delay in the primary. Both efforts were unsuccessful.[4][5][6]
  • June 12: Primaries take place as scheduled.

Additional filing time

State law said candidates needed to file a statement of economic interest listing financial information such as jobs, properties owned, and salaries by March 30. This rule only applied to challengers, meaning incumbents were exempt from these filings.[2] Numerous candidates from both parties did not meet the deadline. According to state law, those candidates who did not file the form on time would not have their names on the ballot.The State's Gina Smith wrote that a reason for this might have been because "for many candidates, this cycle marked the first time they were required to file the form electronically."[3] A 2010 law allowed candidates to file their statements electronically, but an older law mandated a physical copy be on file.[7]

TheState Ethics Commission announced a 10-day extension for candidates to turn in the form.[3] Democrats opposed the decision and considered filing a lawsuit.South Carolina Democratic Party chairDick Harpootlian (D) said the issue was raised because five Republicans who challenged incumbent Democrats in the Senate and House failed to file the form. He said, "The statute says you file the disclosure form when you file, not a month after you are supposed to file...This is begging for more litigation."[3] Republican officials did not contest the Commission's decision, withSouth Carolina Republican Party directorMatt Moore (R) saying, "We believe in following every single law. Candidates need to make sure they file all required forms. But if it’s the Election Commission’s decision...that’s OK with us."[3]

Candidate removal ruling

On May 2, theSouth Carolina Supreme Court ruled unanimously that candidates who had not filed the necessary statement of economic interest both electronically and physically would be ineligible to run.[2]Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title On May 3, the South Carolina Republican Party, the state Democratic Party, and the State Elections Commission asked for a rehearing regarding the Supreme Court's decision. The Court declined, stating, "Our opinion...speaks for itself and stands as written. Accordingly, we deny the request for rehearing."[8]

According to the Charlotte Observer, nearly 200 candidates were removed from the ballot in total, including 55 candidates for thestate House andstate Senate. The Senate attempted to pass legislation allowing many of the challengers back on the ballot, but provisions in theVoting Rights Act of 1965 required any changes in South Carolina election law to be cleared with theU.S. Justice Department.[9] Ultimately, no action was taken.[2]

On May 9, attorney Todd Kincannon, representing challengerAmanda Somers (R), requested a delay in South Carolina's June 12th primary. He claimed that a delay was necessary due to ballots sent to overseas voters and military members that only had federal races on them. Kincannon said, "The ballots that they mailed out to military voters are not worth the paper they are printed on...Each and every one of them is illegal because they are all in violation of the Voting Rights Act."[4] On May 11, Kincannon stated he was no longer pursuing the lawsuit on Somers' behalf.[5] With Somers reinstated on the ballot, he instead focused on challenging the partial ballots mailed overseas.[10] A panel of three federal judges heard the case on May 14 and dismissed the lawsuit.[6]

On June 11, the day before the primary, five candidates who had been removed from the ballot, including former state Senate candidatesTommie Reece (R) andJohn W. Pettigrew, Jr. (R), filed a request inUnited States District Court for the District of Columbia for a temporary restraining order. JudgeCameron Currie rejected the case to stop the vote the same day.[11]

Ultimately, nearly 250 challengers were removed from the primary ballot. InAnderson County, 15 of 23 challengers were deemed ineligible for the primary.Oconee County saw 11 of 13 challengers declared ineligible, which prompted a cancellation of the Republican primary there.[11][2]In South Carolina, candidates could have gotten on the general election ballot by collecting signatures from at least 5 percent of a district's registered voters. The deadline to hand in petitions was July 16, with 13 candidates filing for the Senate and 31 filing for the House.[12] Some disqualified candidates who were kicked off of the ballot attempted to gather enough signatures from voters to allow them to run as independents in the general elections on November 6.[13]

Majority control

See also:Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 6 election, the Republican Party held the majority in theSouth Carolina State Senate:

South Carolina State Senate
PartyAs of November 5, 2012After the 2012 Election
    Democratic Party1918
    Republican Party2728
Total4646


Impact of redistricting

See also:Redistricting in South Carolina

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed new legislative maps in a special session on June 15, 2011. Gov.Nikki Haley (R) signed them on June 28, 2011. Under theVoting Rights Act, South Carolina was required to submit its maps to the Department of Justice, which precleared the Senate map on November 14, 2011.[14] The number of majority-minority districts was reduced by one.[15]

Incumbents retiring

A total of 6 incumbents did not run for re-election in 2012. Those incumbents were:

NamePartyCurrent Office
Dick ElliottElectiondot.pngDemocraticSenate District 28
Greg RybergEnds.pngRepublicanSenate District 24
John LandElectiondot.pngDemocraticSenate District 36
Phil LeventisElectiondot.pngDemocraticSenate District 35
Phillip ShoopmanEnds.pngRepublicanSenate District 5
Ralph AndersonElectiondot.pngDemocraticSenate District 7

List of candidates

District 1

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyThomas Alexander 29,957Green check mark transparent.png

District 2

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • Larry MartinApproveda- Incumbent Martin first assumed office in 1992.
Note:Rex Rice was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyLarry Martin 24,013Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyRex Rice Petition Candidate 13,164

District 3

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyKevin Bryant 34,954Green check mark transparent.png

District 4

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyWilliam O'Dell 24,929Green check mark transparent.png

District 5

Note: IncumbentPhillip Shoopman did not seek re-election. The state GOP re-opened the filing deadline in order to allow more candidates to file. Somers has filed suit to prevent the candidates from being allowed on the ballot.[16]

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Wyatt Miler was removed from the ballot on June 7

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyTom Corbin 33,491Green check mark transparent.png

District 6

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Tommie Reece Removed from the ballot on June 7

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyMichael Fair 24,758Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyTommie Reece Petition Candidate 10,808

District 7

Note: IncumbentRalph Anderson (D) did not seek re-election.[17]

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Note:Ennis Fant was decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyWorking Families PartyKarl Allen 21,964Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyJane Kizer 11,535

District 8

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Note:Jeff Dishner was decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Republican PartyJune 26 GOP primary runoff:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyRoss Turner 37,847Green check mark transparent.png

District 9

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyDaniel Verdin 27,931Green check mark transparent.png

District 10

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyFloyd Nicholson 20,249Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyJennings McAbee, Sr. 17,577

District 11

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • Glenn ReeseApproveda Incumbent Reese first assumed office in 1990.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Kerry Wood was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyGlenn Reese 21,355Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyKerry Wood Petition Candidate 8,635

District 12

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyWorking Families PartyHenri Thompson 15,768
Republican PartyLee Bright 28,724Green check mark transparent.png

District 13

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • Shane MartinApproveda Incumbent Martin first assumed office in 2008.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyShane Martin 32,974Green check mark transparent.png

District 14

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyHarvey Peeler 31,620Green check mark transparent.png

District 15

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • Wes HayesApproveda Incumbent Hayes assumed office in 1990.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyWes Hayes 29,306Green check mark transparent.png
Grey.pngJoe Thompson Petition Candidate 10,049

District 16

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyGreg Gregory 36,297Green check mark transparent.png

District 17

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Note:Al BellaVance was decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Morgan Bruce Reeves was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyCreighton Coleman 28,919Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyBob Carrison 14,872

District 18

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyRonnie Cromer 39,083Green check mark transparent.png

District 19

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyJohn L. Scott, Jr. 35,262Green check mark transparent.png

District 20

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyRobert Rikard 16,359
Republican PartyJohn Courson 25,363Green check mark transparent.png
Green PartyScott West 1,158

District 21

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyDarrell Jackson 31,996Green check mark transparent.png

District 22

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Debra Langley Kennedy was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyJoel Lourie 35,001Green check mark transparent.png

District 23

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Katrina Shealy was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyJake Knotts 14,298
Republican PartyKatrina Shealy Petition Candidate 16,716Green check mark transparent.png
Constitution PartyDavid R. Whetsell 1,596

District 24

Note: IncumbentGreg Ryberg (R) did not seek re-election.

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyTom Young 36,107Green check mark transparent.png

District 25

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:John W. Pettigrew, Jr. was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyShane Massey 30,207Green check mark transparent.png

District 26

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

Note:Perry Finch was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyNikki Setzler 21,856Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyDeedee Vaughters 14,246

District 27

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyVincent Sheheen 29,031Green check mark transparent.png

District 28

Note: IncumbentDick Elliott (D) did not seek re-election.

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyButch Johnson 13,336
Republican PartyGreg Hembree 26,905Green check mark transparent.png

District 29

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyGerald Malloy 30,472Green check mark transparent.png

District 30

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyKent Williams 33,156Green check mark transparent.png

District 31

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyHugh Leatherman 31,613Green check mark transparent.png

District 32

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyJohn Yancey McGill 34,985Green check mark transparent.png

District 33

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyLuke A. Rankin 29,277Green check mark transparent.png

District 34

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Dick Withington was decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyRaymond Cleary 38,928Green check mark transparent.png

District 35

Note: IncumbentPhil Leventis (D) did not seek re-election.

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Republican PartyJune 26 GOP primary runoff:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyThomas McElveen 22,459Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyTony Barwick 18,498

District 36

Note: IncumbentJohn Land (D) did not seek re-election.

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Note:Eleazer Carter andShaun Kent were decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyKevin L. Johnson 25,637Green check mark transparent.png
Democratic PartyEleazer Carter Petition Candidate 1,138
Republican PartyLeon Winn 12,111
Grey.pngShaun Kent Petition Candidate 4,136

District 37

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyLarry Grooms 32,003Green check mark transparent.png

District 38

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartySean Bennett 29,231Green check mark transparent.png

District 39

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyJohn Matthews 35,945Green check mark transparent.png

District 40

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • Brad HuttoApproveda Incumbent Hutto assumed office in 1996.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyBrad Hutto 35,803Green check mark transparent.png

District 41

Note: District 41 was vacant.

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
Note:Wally Burbage,Sean Pike, andJohn Steinberger were decertified from the ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyPaul Tinkler 22,039
Republican PartyPaul Thurmond 27,845Green check mark transparent.png[18]

District 42

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Note:Master P. Bines andFrederick A. Fielding were decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyRobert Ford 30,064Green check mark transparent.png

District 43

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyChip Campson 35,618Green check mark transparent.png

District 44

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Note:Barbara McGowin was decertified from the ballot.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyPaul G. Campbell, Jr. 25,928Green check mark transparent.png

District 45

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:

November 6 General election candidates:

Democratic PartyClementa Pinckney 26,825Green check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyLeilani Bessinger 13,652

District 46

Democratic PartyJune 12 Democratic primary:
  • No candidates filed.
Republican PartyJune 12 GOP primary:
  • Tom DavisApproveda Incumbent Davis was assumed office in 2008.

November 6 General election candidates:

Republican PartyTom Davis 37,722Green check mark transparent.png

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑South Carolina Election Commission, "2012 Calendar"
  2. ↑2.02.12.22.32.42.5Governing, "200 Candidates Kicked Off South Carolina Ballot" June 12, 2012
  3. ↑3.03.13.23.33.4The State, "Democrats hit state’s decision allowing more time on election forms," April 17, 2012
  4. ↑4.04.1WIS TV, "Attorney to ask for SC primary delay," May 9, 2012
  5. ↑5.05.1WACH, "Lawyer abandons effort to save SC election," May 11, 2012
  6. ↑6.06.1WACH, "Panel tosses ballot case; primary to go as planned," May 14, 2012
  7. ↑The New York Times, "New Rule Leads to Old School Politics in South Carolina, Critics Say," October 15, 2012
  8. ↑WISTV, "Supreme Court denies parties' request for rehearing," May 4, 2012
  9. ↑Charlotte Observer, "SC senators attempting to put candidates on ballot," accessed May 9, 2012
  10. ↑Augusta Chronicle, "Federal panel dismisses lawsuit over SC election," May 15, 2012
  11. ↑11.011.1Independent Mail, "Federal judge will not stop Tuesday's S.C. primary," accessed June 12, 2012<
  12. ↑Potential SC Petition Candidates Deadline Monday, "WSPA," accessed July 17, 2012
  13. ↑Collecting petitions on a primary day gone bust, "The State," accessed June 18, 2012
  14. ↑[http://redistricting.scsenate.gov/SenatePlanDOJPreClearLtr2011.pdfSouth Carolina State Senate, DOJ pre-clearance letter, November 14, 2011.
  15. ↑The Associated Press, "Federal officials question SC Senate redistricting," September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2012
  16. ↑Travelers Rest Tribune, "S.C. Senator Phillip Shoopman will not seek re-election, Rep. Corbin to run for seat," April 5, 2012(dead link)
  17. ↑Greenville Online, "Sen. Ralph Anderson won't seek re-election," March 20, 2012
  18. ↑Sfgate.com, "Federal panel keeps Thurmond on SC Senate ballot," accessed November 1, 2012


Current members of theSouth Carolina State Senate
Leadership
Senate President:Thomas Alexander
Majority Leader:Shane Massey
Minority Leader:Brad Hutto
Senators
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
Republican Party (34)
Democratic Party (12)


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