OC Vote for Governor different from the State

The vote in Oconee County on Tuesday in the Republican Primary Runoff was much different for Governor than the rest of the state of South Carolina. Oconee County Voter Registration and Elections Director Joy Scharich gives the election totals for the Golden Corner. “On the Republican ballot it looks like we had Henry McMaster with 3,664 total votes in Oconee County, which would be 46.5% and John Warren with 4,205, which is 53.4%. The total votes cast in that race was 7,869. Then we had in the Attorney General race, Todd Atwater with 2,627 votes or 34.95% and Alan Wilson with 4,890 or 65%. The total votes cast in that race was 7,517.” According to the unofficial results from the South Carolina Election Commission, Henry McMaster received 54% to John Warren’s 46% in the Republican Primary Runoff for Governor. In the Attorney General race, Alan Wilson captured 65% to Todd Atwater’s 35% statewide. Turnout was higher in Oconee County than the rest of the state as well, adds Scharich. “We did very well with a turnout of 16% and that is higher than the state average. So, we are pretty proud of that, people came back out and voted in the runoff.” The turnout statewide was only 12.62%. In addition, Oconee County was once again one of the first counties in the state to report its results. Scharich praises the job done by poll workers. “To turn something around in two weeks time like that, when the first week is taken up certifying the first one, so you have about a week to get things changed over and ready to go again. Yesterday, we had two polling places go completely without power from mid-afternoon until closing and they handled it well. In their audit there were no missing votes. They did a great job.” Special thanks also goes to the electric power crews, concludes Scharich. “Lots of praises to the lineman and the folks that worked yesterday to get our power up. At Tamassee, at the fire station there, the crew from Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative was in the parking lot waiting for the storm to pass and made us a first priority to get going again. Those guys work hard in some dangerous situations and we appreciate what they do.” At the other polling precinct to lose power in Oconee County, Scharich says that a volunteer firefighter hooked a portable battery to the voting machine in Keowee so voters could cast ballots.