What's up in SC any word as far as polling or early voting

[bigdarryl]

Anyone here from SC

[SayitAintSo]

1. Latest news from the SC State Paper

I am - record number in voter registration and early voting. Looks like it might be a single digit race here (per Chuck Todd's First Read). The Obama surge will rattle the wingnuts to their core here. Joe Wilson have a hard time with a dem contender ( and vet ). Yea!! Its a new day! :)

______________________

SC hits records on registration, absentee ballots
By JIM DAVENPORT - Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. --
South Carolina has broken records in voter registration and absentee ballots as people lined up on a rainy Friday in two of the state's biggest Democrat and Republican counties.

Outside the Richland County election and registration office, umbrellas and hoods were up as a steady drizzle soaked voters drawn to a history-making contest for president.

"This is history, no matter which way it goes," said Reginald Monroe, 45, an former Marine who waited for 18-year-old son, Chris, to vote for the first time. Friday was the best chance they had to vote together and for Monroe to be at work Nov. 4 running his auto detailing shop.

Both picked Democrat Barack Obama as president. Reginald Monroe, who is black, said McCain could have won his vote had he been more consistent in his message. And, he said, Obama's tax policies would hurt his small business less and his health care proposals would help out more.

Richland County leans Democrat and the Monroes were among the thousand a day casting ballots during the past week or so. "The lines started forming last week," said Lillian McBride, Richland County's Voter Registration Board chairwoman. She's seen high turnout before with absentee voters, but never this early.

"To me, that's saying we have a big interest in the election," she said.

And big records, too, being shattered more than a week before absentee voting ends and polls open.

Marci Andino, executive director of the State Election Commission, said the state has broken records for registration, with 2.5 million people on voters rolls, and more than 190,000 absentee ballots issued. By Friday night, Andino said the state will have broken the 2004 record for absentee ballots cast - 161,000.

"I'm hearing that every county is very busy and most have lines - at least short lines - with absentee voters," Andino said. For instance, Greenville County was reporting two-hour waits Friday.

"It's wonderful. It's what we work year-round for," Andino said.

Bob Shear, 63, and his wife, Jane, 64, waited in the rain and 50-plus degree weather outside the Richland County office.

"We thought there would be fewer people in the rain," Jane Shear said. But they were in a line that only got longer before lunch. About 60 waited to use a dozen machines at a downstairs office and at least 30 were upstairs in an overflow line waiting for a half-dozen machines set up in county council chambers.

"This is a wonderful thing to see," said Bob Shear, who was voting early because he'll be working a poll on Election Day.

The pace has been remarkable. On Oct. 13, the Election Commission reported 21,782 absentee ballots cast. By Tuesday, that total had climbed to 93,378 and Andino was confident the 161,000 record set in 2004 would be broken by the end of Friday.

It's hard to tell how that voting might break down for Obama, an Illinois senator, and Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Richland County, for instance, is one of the state's most Democrat-leaning counties. In 2004, Kerry won 57 percent of the vote in the county surrounding the state Capitol. But the absentee vote was split - 50 percent to 49 percent - narrowly in Kerry's favor over President Bush.

In neighboring Lexington County, traditionally a Republican stronghold, the absentee vote broke 71 percent in Bush's favor in 2004. By Friday at noon, more than 10,640 had cast absentee ballots.

"For whatever the reason may be people are extremely concerned with making sure they get to vote," said Dan Creps, Lexington County's elections director. "They're really coming out."

A line outside his office was at least 60 people long as people waited to use 16 machines inside an old grocery store now housing county offices. They were waiting an average of about 25 minutes. And Creps didn't expect the lines to get any shorter on Election Day.

Phil and Betty Maas waited in the line. Phil Maas, a 68-year-old Army veteran, wanted to get away from the Nov. 4 crowds and still thinks he saved time. "The last presidential election we waited in line well over an hour and half, almost two hours," he said.

For the couple, the economy was the top issue as they headed into voting, eclipsing concerns about Iraq war. "It's not the issue that started the campaign. It's the issue that came up recently and I think it's overshadowed a lot of the other issues," Phil Maas said.

But that only firmed his choice of McCain. "They talk about being tested and he's been tested."