Friday is absentee voting deadline

Friday is the last day to vote absentee for the City Council election's Republican Primary.

Absentee voting will take place at the Aiken County Registration and Elections office, 916 Vaucluse Road, until 4 p.m. The office will be closed on Labor Day.

Voting in the election is limited to those who reside within the City of Aiken. The election will be held on Tuesday.

According to Stuart Bedenbaugh, executive director of the Aiken County Registration and Elections office, almost 200 people had voted absentee in the election as of Tuesday afternoon. Absentee voting opened on Aug. 13.

Bedenbaugh said he expects the number to rise to 300 by Friday, including ballots that have been mailed in. Eligibility requirements to vote absentee include those aged 65 or older, those who plan to be out of town on the election date or those who cannot vote because of their employment.

A complete list of absentee voting criteria can be found at www.scvotes.org.

Republican City Council candidates include District 4 candidates Allen Brodie and Reggie Ebner and at-large candidates Liz Stewart, Steve Homoki, Kent Cubbage and incumbent Don Wells.

Based on absentee votes collected thus far, Bedenbaugh said he is expecting an average turnout for Tuesday's primary. He predicts about 20 percent of City residents will be out at the polls.

"I don't see this as being any more hotly contested from past City primaries," he said.

According to Bedenbaugh, a runoff is possible in the at-large race if at least two candidates are not able to secure 25 percent of the votes plus one each.

He said at least one candidate will have votes needed to win one of the at-large seats but said the candidates in second and third place could face each other again in a runoff on Sept. 22.

"At least one person will get over 25 percent of the vote," said Bedenbaugh. There won't be a runoff in the District 4 race unless there is a tie between the two candidates, said Bedenbaugh.

The following polling places will be used for the city precincts for the Republican primary:

* The Municipal Building, 214 Park Ave. S.W. Voting at the precinct will be Aiken 1, Aiken 2, Aiken 3, Aiken 4 and Aiken 5.

* H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road. Voting at the precinct will be Aiken 6, Montmorenci 22, Aiken 47, Levels 52 and Levels 72.

* South Aiken Church of God, 2700 Whiskey Road. Voting at the precinct will be College Acres 13 and Hollow Creek 53.

* Kalmia Mall, 1680 Richland Ave. W. Voting at the precinct will be Graniteville 16, Six Points 35 and Six Points 46.

* St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 961 Trail Ridge Road. Voting at the precinct will be Millbrook 20 and Hitchcock 66.

* Town Creek Baptist Church, 570 Town Creek Road. Voting at the precinct will be Gem Lakes 60, Anderson Pond 69 and Sandstone 70.