SC representative's run for state senate may prompt late Oct. primary

Published: Oct. 2, 2014 at 5:42 PM EDT|Updated: Oct. 2, 2014 at 5:43 PM EDT

WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Voters in South Carolina House District 101 may face a special primary one week ahead of the general election to select their next representative.

Rep. Ronnie Sabb, who currently represents most of Williamsburg and a portion of Clarendon Counties, said in a statement he removed his name from the Nov. 4 ballot for his current house seat.

Sabb said he asked to be removed from that House District 101 ballot after winning a primary in September for State Senate District 32.

"My request has created a unique opportunity to make sure that we have full representation when the new legislative session begins in January, 2015," Sabb said in a statement.

Whether the special primary happens on Oct. 28 depends on the filings for Sabb's house seat, according to State Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire.

If more than one candidate for either party files during the weeklong filing period that begins on Oct. 7, a primary will be held on Oct. 28 and that race will not appear on the Nov. 4 ballot, Whitmire said. The winners of the primary would then face-off in a Dec. 9 special election.

But if only one candidate from both parties or a single candidate from either party in the heavily-democratic district files, a primary would not be necessary and the winner would be decided in the Nov. 4 election.

Sabb, meanwhile, will run unopposed on the Nov. 4 ballot for State Senate District 32, which covers Williamsburg County, the majority of Georgetown County and reaches into Horry, Florence and Berkeley Counties.

Sabb, who lives in Williamsburg County, has served in the state house since 2011.

The senate seat was previously held by Yancey McGill, who gave up his seat of 26 years to become president pro tem of the senate, and then move into the lieutenant governor slot. That shuffle happened after then-Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell resigned to take over the presidency of the College of Charleston in late June.

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