Record turnout expected in Saturday’s GOP primary

Around 84,000 people have already begun the absentee ballot process for both primaries, 51,000 of those have been returned which is a new record in the Palmetto State.

Voters who want to cast absentee ballots still can do so in person at the County Election Board office on Thursday, Feb. 25, Friday, Feb. 26 or Saturday, Feb. 27. Applications for absentee ballots must be in the hands of the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, to be processed. But he may need a third-place finish – if not better – in SC in order to remain a viable candidate. But Bush has competition on that front, chiefly from Marco Rubio and John Kasich.

“Normally I don’t vote in primaries to be honest with you, but this time there’s so many contenders I’d like to narrow the field a little so we can get down to the serious debate about the real issues in our country”, said Stevens, who lives in Lake Wylie. In 2012, 603,000 voted in the GOP presidential primary.

The two primaries underscore the state’s clout in presidential politics, said Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, a Richland Republican and Trump ally.

Republican officials are expecting record turnout based on the interest in the race and South Carolina’s growing population.

Sims says he was “kind of riding the fence” until Haley said she was backing the Florida senator.

The outcome of Saturday’s primary is expected to winnow the number of GOP candidates – now six – but stop short of clearing the way for a political coronation as it has done in the past.

He’s trying to break out as the establishment alternative to Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

Bush was in Rock Hill and Kasich in Indian Land.

Polls open 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Voters may only vote in one primary.