Voters head to the polls Tuesday 11/1/2009 11:15 PM By HALEY HUGHES Staff writer
Voters around Aiken County go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the County Council District 5 special election and several municipal elections.
Residents of District 5 will decide whether Republican Alexander "Sandy" Haskell or Democrat Judy Hamilton will replace incumbent Eddie Butler on County Council when he steps down Tuesday.
All registered voters who live in District 5 are eligible to vote.
The winner will serve out Butler's term, which ends December 2010.
The Town of Burnettown's election is for mayor and two Town Council seats. Current Councilman Chuck Mason and incumbent Mayor C.H. Williams will vie for the mayoral seat. Town Council candidates are T.R. Carver, incumbent Bobby Griffin Jr., former Council member James McIntosh, David Glenn Mintor and Trevor Ward.
The Town of Monetta's election is for two Town Council seats. Candidates are incumbents Michael Cumbee and Charles McKay. The challenger is Nathan Shuler.
The Town of Wagener's election is also for two Town Council seats. Candidates are Marlon Hudson, incumbent John Hudson and Andy O'Byrne. Only one candidate is running for mayor, current Council member Mike Miller, so no election for the seat will be held.
Mayor Steve Carver is not seeking re-election.
"The No. 1 reason is that my job as emergency preparedness manager has become too demanding, and I can't give the time that the mayor job requires," Carver wrote in an e-mail. "I also said years ago that I would stay until it was time to become a granddad, and hopefully that time is close with one of my sons already married and my daughter getting married next summer. Thirteen years ago I set several goals to be completed during my time as mayor, and, with the help of great employees and Council members, we've been able to accomplish every one of them. There is not a person around that can honestly say that the town is not better now than it was 13 years ago. We've set the bar high, and I look forward to watching the new mayor and council maintain that momentum and continue making Wagener a great town to call home or to visit."
All candidates for Burnettown, Monetta and Wagener seats are nonpartisan.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in all voting districts.
Stuart Bedenbaugh, executive director of Aiken County Registration and Elections, said voter turnout in District 5 will likely be as low as it was in the party primaries and subsequent run-off election. There are more than 12,000 registered voters in District 5, and only about 6 percent of voters participated in the primaries and Republican run-off.
Bedenbaugh also said it is hard to project voter turnout in the municipal elections as the districts aren't that large to begin with.
Voters are required to present a form of identification at their polling place, such as their voter registration card, their South Carolina driver's license or a state-issued ID.
Sample ballots can be viewed at www.aikencountysc.gov.
For more information, call the Aiken County Registration and Elections Office at 642-2028.
Fox Creek 73 - Grace Fellowship Church, 507 Five Notch Road W.
* Town of Burnettown (including town portions of precincts Bath 7, Langley 18, Lynwood 19, Midland Valley 51 and Midland Valley 71)
Burnettown Town Hall, 3144 Augusta Road
* Town of Monetta
Monetta Community Center, 278 Academy Street
* Town of Wagener
Wagener Town Hall, 113 Railroad Avenue W.
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