The South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) has denied Eleazer Carter certification of candidacy for the State Senate, District 36 race.
On Apr. 1, an official challenge was submitted to the SCDP regarding Carter’s filing for candidacy. This letter was sent and signed by Kimberly O. Johnson, daughter of the current State Senator, Kevin L. Johnson. In the letter submitted to the SCDP Chair, Christale Spain, the concern was that state statutes require a candidate to be a legal resident of the district at the time of filing and it appears that Carter uses a Clarendon County address during election years while living in Richland County. Additionally, Johnson stated that Carter supported Republican candidates after losing the primaries in 2012 and 2020. “This begs the question, is Mr. Carter truly a Democratic candidate or does he change his address during election
season in an attempt to help the other party?” wrote Johnson.
On Apr. 4, the SCDP Execute Council met in Columbia to discuss the challenge and
candidate certification. Carter, Johnson, and Sen. Johnson attended this meeting along with a few of their respective supporters. Carter was asked to submit documentation providing proof of residency. After providing this documentation, council members, in an
8-2 vote, advised Spain to certify Carter as a candidate. However, the Chair does have the authority to make the final decision.
Carter received notification via email on Friday that he was denied certification for the Democratic Primary to be held on June 11. In the letter addressed to Howard Knapp, Executive Director of the SC Election Commission, and carbon copied to Carter, Spain cited SC Code 7-13-40. The code, which is included in full below, states that a political party must not certify any candidate who does not or will not by the time of the general election, or as otherwise required by law, meet the qualifications for the office for which the candidate has filed, and such candidate's name shall not be placed on a primary ballot. Carter will be appealing the SCDP’s decision.
This story is breaking and on-going. Please check this week’s edition of The Manning Times for a more in-depth look at the SCDP’s decision not to certify Carter.
SECTION 7-13-40. Time of party primary; certification of names; verification of
candidates' qualifications; filing fee.
In the event that a party nominates candidates by party primary, a party primary must be held by the party and conducted by the State Election Commission and the respective county boards of voter registration and elections on the second Tuesday in June of each general election year, and a second and third primary each two weeks
successively thereafter, if necessary. Written certification of the names of all candidates to be placed on primary ballots must be made by the political party chairman, vice chairman, or secretary to the State Election Commission or the county board of voter
registration and elections whichever is responsible under law for preparing the ballot, not later than twelve o'clock noon on April fifth, or if April fifth falls on a Saturday or Sunday, not later than twelve o'clock noon on the following Monday. Political parties nominating candidates by party primary must verify the qualifications of those candidates prior to certification to the appropriate election commission of the names of candidates to be placed on primary ballots. The written verification required by this
section must contain a statement that each candidate certified meets, or will meet by the time of the general election, or as otherwise required by law, the qualifications for office for which he has filed. A political party must not certify any candidate who does not or will not by the time of the general election, or as otherwise required by law, meet
the qualifications for the office for which the candidate has filed, and such candidate's name shall not be placed on a primary ballot. The filing fees for all candidates filing to run in all primaries, except municipal primaries, must be transmitted by the respective political parties to the State Election Commission and placed by the executive director
of the commission in a special account designated for use in conducting primary
elections and must be used for that purpose. The filing fee for each office is one percent of the total salary for the term of that office or one hundred dollars, whichever amount is greater.
