The turnout is expected to be high when North Augusta Republicans go to the polls Saturday to help choose their party's presidential nominee.
Stuart Bedenbaugh, executive director of the Aiken County Registration and Elections Commission, said he expects about a 50 percent combined voter turnout for the Republican and Democratic Presidential Preference primaries.
South Carolina Democrats will have their primary Jan. 26.
Of the 82,000 registered voters in Aiken County, Bedenbaugh said upwards of 40,000 are likely to cast their ballots in the two primaries. There are about 12,000 registered voters in North Augusta, he said.
"This is only the second time in South Carolina history that both parties held presidential primaries in the same year," he said. The last time it occurred was 1992.
"In previous years, either one party did not hold a primary or one party had a primary and one party only had a caucus. A caucus tends to limit turnout because it is geared toward the party faithful."
Turnout tends to be higher for general elections, especially during the presidential election cycle, he said. With both parties holding primaries in a presidential election year, turnout will likely be the highest the county has seen since the 2004 general election, when more than 60 percent of registered voters went to the polls.
All polling places in North Augusta will be open at their normal locations except for Belvedere Precinct 62, Bedenbaugh said. Voters registered there will cast their ballots at Belvedere United Methodist Church at 202 Rhomboid Place instead of Belvedere First Baptist during both primaries.
Also, voters registered to vote at Riverview Park are encouraged to head to the polls early because recreation league basketball games will be played as scheduled both Saturdays, Bedenbaugh said. He said parking might be a problem at the park as a result.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all locations for each election. A South Carolina voter registration card, a state driver's license or a state identification card is required to vote. Voters can cast a ballot in only one party's primary.
To find your polling place, to view sample ballots or for more information about the primaries, visit http://www.aikencountysc.gov.
Reach J. Scott Trubey at or scott.trubey@northaugustatoday.com.
THE CANDIDATES
- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (won Iowa primary)
- U.S. Rep Duncan Hunter, of California
- U.S. Sen. John McCain, of Arizona (won New Hampshire)
- U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas
- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney
- U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, of California*
- Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, of Tennessee
- John Cox, of Chicago
- Hugh Cort, of Mountain Brook, Ala.
- Cap Fendig, of St. Simons Island, Ga.
*Dropped out of the race but remains on the ballot.
