Aiken prepares for first-in-the-nation Democratic National Committee primary
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Back in 2020, South Carolina added some resurgence to then-candidate Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
On Saturday, the Palmetto state will launch the race for the Democratic nomination.
Under request, the Democratic National Committee arranged the calendar to make South Carolina the first-in-the-nation primary.
The first contest saw usual beginnings in Iowa, followed by New Hampshire.
Biden’s urging to move the primary calendar was due to South Carolina’s racial and economic diversity.
The incumbent president’s name will appear alongside challengers Congressman Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson.
The contest will be uncharted territory for all 46 counties, including here in the CSRA.
“We have to be prepared to put those fires out,” said Executive Director Cynthia Holland with the Aiken Board of Elections.
To prepare for the primary, the Board of Elections decided to combine precincts and add more machines to cut back on long lines, which have been an issue in the past.
“Some of the locations may have three to four actual precincts housed in one location. The larger precincts that were combined, most of them have 10 to 12 machines. The smaller ones will have five to six machines. As far as scanning your ballot, the DS 200, the larger precincts will have two instead of one,” said Holland.
The biggest opponent in this election could be apathy.
“As far as early voting right now, we’ve had a little over 1,000 and it’s been two weeks. And so I don’t expect a huge turnout,” said Holland.
Biden’s campaign has been working to boost turnout, and on Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris was in Orangeburg.
“In 2020, it was South Carolina that put President Joe Biden and me on the path to the White House. In 2020, at the height of a historic pandemic, in the midst of so much loss and uncertainty, the people of South Carolina showed up to vote, you convinced your friends and your family and neighbors and co-workers of the power of their vote, and the power they have when they show up to vote. It is because of that work that Joe Biden is President of the United States. And I am the first woman and first black woman to be Vice President of the United States,” said Harris.
With South Carolina being an open primary state, ed voters can participate regardless of affiliation, but may only choose either the Democratic primary or the republican contest on Feb. 24.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. To find your polling location, click here.
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