Voters will decide Democratic, Republican candidates for 1st District seat in Congress
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Voters in Beaufort County and allo over South Carolina will take to the polls on Tuesday, June 11, to vote in both Democratic and Republican primaries.
Here is everything that you need to know to vote.
Who can vote?
South Carolina holds open primaries, meaning that voters can choose to vote Republican or Democrat but may only vote in one primary.
Anyone age 18 or older with a valid voter’s registration and a valid photo ID may vote.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
— S.C. Driver’s License
— S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card
— S.C. Voter’s Registration Card with Photo
— U.S. Passport
— Federal Military ID
State law requires a person to register to vote at least 30 days before an election.
Voters can check their registration status by visiting scvotes.gov.
Who or what will be on the ballot?
All seven of South Carolina’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election in 2024.
While there are also seats in the South Carolina state legislature that are also up for grabs this year, the primary is for races that are contested within their own party.
In northern Beaufort County, voters will be voting to decide on the Republican and Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives District 1, a seat currently held by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.
Mace was elected to the seat in 2020.
She previously represented the 99th district in the S.C. House of Representatives from 2018 to 2020.
Going against the incumbent for the Republican nomination are Catherine Templeton and Bill Young.
Templeton is an attorney who worked as the Director of South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Director of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation under former S.C. Governor Nikki Haley.
Young is a Marine veteran who has worked as a financial advisor and hopes to champion veterans’ causes.
On the other side of the party line are Democrats Mac Deford and Michael B. Moore.
Deford is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard who lives in Mt. Pleasant and has worked a local government attorney for several Lowcountry municipalities.
Moore is the great-great grandson of Beaufort’s Robert Smalls and served as CEO of both the International African American Museum and Glory Foods.
Voters can see a sample ballot by going to the South Carolina Election Commission’s website.
When can I vote?
Precincts will open at 7 a.m. on June 11 and will close at 7 p.m., although anyone in line before 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Where can I vote?
Before heading out to vote on Tuesday, make sure to confirm your correct polling place:
Beaufort 1 – USCB Gymnasium – 1100 Boundary Street
Beaufort 2 – USCB Gymnasium – 1100 Boundary Street
Beaufort 3 – USCB Gymnasium – 1100 Boundary Street
Burton 1A – Burton Wells Recreation Center – 1 Middleton Rec Drive
Burton 1B – Robert Smalls Leadership Academy – 43 W.K. Alston Drive
Burton 1C – Habersham Park House – 2 Habersham Park
Burton 1D – Habersham Park House – 2 Habersham Park
Burton 2A – Community Bible Church – 638 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 2B – Shell Point Baptist Church – 871 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 2C – Love House Ministries – 423 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 2D – Love House Ministries – 423 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 3A – New Hope Christian Church – 67 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 3B – Robert Smalls Leadership Academy – 43 W K Alston Drive
Burton 4 – Burton Wells Recreation Center – 1 Middleton Rec Drive
Burton 5A – Shell Point Baptist Church – 871 Parris Island Gateway
Burton 5B – Community Bible Church – 638 Parris Island Gateway
Lady’s Island 1A – Grace Chapel AME Church – 10 Holly Hall Road
Lady’s Island 1B – Sea Island Presbyterian Church – 81 Lady’s Island Drive
Lady’s Island 2A – Grace Chapel AME Church – 10 Holly Hall Road
Lady’s Island 2B – David Smith Community Center – 140 Coosaw River Drive
Lady’s Island 2C – David Smith Community Center – 140 Coosaw River Drive
Lady’s Island 3A – Tidal Creek Fellowship – 290 Brickyard Point Road South
Lady’s Island 3B – The Retreat at Lady’s Island – 9 Sunset Boulevard
Lady’s Island 3C – Tidal Creek Fellowship – 290 Brickyard Point Road South
Lady’s Island 4A – Lady’s Island Middle School – 30 Cougar Drive
Lady’s Island 4B – Sea Island Presbyterian Church – 81 Lady’s Island Drive
Lady’s Island 4C – Grace Chapel AME Church – 10 Holly Hall Road
Mossy Oaks 1A – Cornerstone Christian Church – 2301 First Boulevard
Mossy Oaks 1B – Cornerstone Christian Church – 2301 First Boulevard
Mossy Oaks 2 – Cornerstone Christian Church – 2301 First Boulevard
Port Royal 1 – Port Royal Town Hall – 700 Paris Avenue
Port Royal 2 – Port Royal Town Hall – 700 Paris Avenue
Dale Lobeco – Whale Branch Middle School – 2009 Trask Parkway
Seabrook 1 – Beaufort County Public Works – 120 Shanklin Road
Seabrook 2 – Whale Branch Middle School – 2009 Trask Parkway
Seabrook 3 – Grays Hill Fire Department Station 82 – 14 Bruce K. Smalls Drive
Sheldon 1 – Elijah Washington Medical Center – 211 Paige Point Drive
Sheldon 2 – Booker T. Washington Community Center – 182 Booker T. Washington Circle
St. Helena 1A – St. Helena Library – 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road
St. Helena 1B – Scott Community Center – 242 Scott Hill Road
St. Helena 1C – Dataw Community Center – 43 Marina Drive
St. Helena 2A – St. Helena Elementary School – 1025 Sea Island Parkway
St. Helena 2B – Gloria Potts Community Center – 130 Seaside Road
St. Helena 2C – Fripp Island Community Center – 205 Tarpon Boulevard
When is early voting?
Early voting began on Tuesday, May 28 and ends on Friday, June 7.
In Beaufort County, early voting centers open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays during the early voting period.
There is no early voting available on weekends or state holidays.
Where can I go to vote early?
Beaufort County Board of Registrations and Elections Office – 15 Jon Galt Road (Beaufort)
St. Helena Branch Library – 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road (Saint Helena Island)
Can I vote absentee?
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot for the 2024 primaries was on May 31.
All absentee ballots that were issued need to be returned by 7 p.m. on June 11, Election Day.
Problems or concerns
Any issues or complaints should be brought to the attention of the poll manager, but if the issue does not get resolved, voters can contact the Beaufort County elections office as soon as possible.
The phone number is 843-255-6900 and the address to visit is 15 John Galt Road.
Election fraud allegations can be reported to the State Law Enforcement (SLED) hotline at 843-4SC-VOTE or by emailing any supporting documents and complaints to 4SCVote@sled.sc.gov.
For more information about precincts go to beaufortcountysc.gov or scVOTES.gov.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
