COASTAL OBSERVER

The first week of early voting saw 56 ballots cast in the special election for the Georgetown County School Board seat in District 6. Early voting ended last week and the election is today for the district’s 8,590 registered voters.

Alex Belser, Jarrod Ownbey and Jon Tester are running to fill the unexpired term of Kristie Baxley, who was elected in November and resigned in February. The special election date was set according to state law.

“It’s a matter of who can get the most people to the polls,” Ownbey said.

Tester went to the election office to vote early. He said he was concerned by the number of people who showed up to vote, but didn’t live in District 6. 

Belser has been trying to get word out about the election by standing on the side of the road with one of his self-painted campaign signs.

“A lot people are waving back to me, and some honks too,” he said, along with some people rolling down their windows to yell “go Alex.” He stands and waves to those passing by so that they can put a face to the name on the sign.

Tester has tried to spread the word about the election, but  he said the people with most interest in the election may not be around at the moment.

“A lot of folks are vacationing right now,” he said.

Belser’s aware of the low early voting turnout and said he hopes for a better turnout on Election Day.

“A lot of people who have kids are busy. They’re on vacation, and they’re not necessarily going out to vote,” Belser said.

Spreading awareness of the special election has been the focus for Ownbey as well. 

He uses his Facebook campaign page to constantly remind voters to get out to the polls on Election Day, which he thinks has been effective. 

Ownbey and his team sent out more than 300 flyers and postcards to households about his platform and has heard “overwhelmingly positive” responses.

“I’ve had conversations with almost everybody at this point,” he said.

Ownbey called the early voting turnout “reasonably small,” but said campaigning is a nonstop “bear” when a special election is condensed into eight weeks.

“We expected that right after a holiday. You’re not going to see numbers like we saw for the presidential election,” Ownbey said.

With Election Day just around the corner, Ownbey said the outcome is out of his hands. He plans to travel between polling locations on Tuesday.

Belser said retired teachers have approached him to ask about his platform. Most people he has talked to don’t know what district they live in, he said. Once people realize they’re eligible to vote, they tell him they will be at the polls on Tuesday.

Tester has no plans between now and Election Day, but he has put out more signs by roads in the Waccamaw Neck.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

You must be a registered voter in District 6, which spans from Waverly Road in Pawleys Island to the southern end of Murrells Inlet, to cast a vote.

Voters in Pawleys precincts 1, 2, 3 and 5 will vote at the Waccamaw Recreation Center on Duncan Avenue.

Voters in Murrells Inlet precincts 2 and 3 will vote at the fire department’s headquarters station on Business 17.

To check your registration and polling place, go to scvotes.org.