by Melissa McCoy
Preliminary election results for Clarendon County, as of the 11:00 p.m. print deadline Tuesday, reveal an upset in the State Senate and a razor-thin margin in School Board District 7. The results reveal outcomes across federal, state, and local races, as well as for a constitutional amendment on Tuesday.
In the race for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 6, incumbent Rep. Jim Clyburn (D) retained his seat with 159,889 votes, representing 58.16% of the vote. Challenger Duke Buckner (R) received 105,065 votes, or 38.22%.
For State Senate, District 36, Jeff Zell (R) narrowly defeated incumbent Kevin Johnson (D) with 50.74% of the vote (25,578 votes), while Johnson followed with 49.14% (24,770 votes).
State House of Representatives District 64 saw incumbent Fawn Pedalino (R) secure 11,053 votes (55.76%) against challenger Quadri Bell (D), who received 8,756 votes at 44.18%.
South Carolina voters passed Amendment 1 with overwhelming support, tallying 1,688,966 “yes” votes at 85.90%. The amendment, which prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting, saw opposition from 277,317 voters, or 14.10%.
Clarendon County Results
In local races, Clarendon County saw a range of outcomes:
- Sheriff: Incumbent Tim Baxley (D), running unopposed, received 11,757 votes, or 98.37%.
- Probate Judge: Incumbent Peggy Sorrell (R) won with 9,343 votes (58.73%), defeating Terrance Tindal (D), who secured 6,552 votes at 41.18%.
- Clerk of Court: Shanita Brangman (D), unopposed, received 10,405 votes at 97.89%.
- Coroner: Incumbent Jacqueline Blackwell (D), also unopposed, received 10,668 votes, making up 98.19%.
- County Council Chair: Jay Johnson (R) led with 8,496 votes (53.33%), unseating incumbent Dwight Stewart (D), who received 7,417 votes (46.55%).
- County Council, District 2: Kurtis Rodine (R) led with 4,066 votes (51.96%), while Clayton Pack (D) followed closely with 3,751 votes (47.94%). Neither candidate was an incumbent.
Clarendon County School Board
- District 1: Kim Jones led with 823 votes, securing 69.28%.
- District 2: John Bonaparte won with 742 votes, or 63.75%.
- District 3: Johnnie Lawson received 438 votes at 40.48%.
- District 4: Incumbent Linda Lemon held her seat with 424 votes at 41.01%.
- District 5: Shorter led with 594 votes (45.10%), narrowly beating Margaret Walker, who received 507 votes (38.50%).
- District 6: Incumbent Bobby Fleming won with 518 votes at 47.61%.
- District 7: In the closest race in Clarendon County, Ron Wingard led with 312 votes (33.84%), followed closely by Amy Green with 305 votes (33.08%) and George Frierson with 296 votes (32.10%).
- District 8: John Hardy won with 757 votes at 58.73%.
- District 9: Incumbent Ceth Land received 765 votes, making up 72.31%.