PoliTick-Tock

Voter stream slow, no machine problems in NMB

By 8 a.m. this morning, about 15 voters had come through the door at the Crescent precinct poll in North Myrtle Beach. Poll worker Jean Boseman said she expected today's voter turnout to be a bit on the slow side.

Workers also reported that the electronic voting machines were running smoothly. Volunteer Bill Mullin said he makes sure to reiterate to folks that they have three chances to change their mind before they vote with the electronic ballot.

"The biggest problem is people's fear of touch screens," he said. "They only time you ever see one is if you're using a debit card."

He says walking through each step with the voters has been helpful.

"If you do that with everybody, we have less problems."

"They're getting more used to it," added poll worker Sandy Bruce. "It's such a long time in between when they use it. They don't remember from one time to the next."

Reuniting at the polls

Crescent precinct poll workers Jean Boseman and Levon McSwain go back - way back.

"We worked together about 55 years ago at the Highway Patrol," said Boseman, 73.

"I enjoyed that job," said McSwain, chatting with Boseman about their time in Raleigh, N.C.

After leaving the job and moving to the North Myrtle Beach area in 1989, Boseman spotted McSwain's name in an article in The Sun News a few years ago, looked her up in the phone book and rekindled their friendship.

"I said, 'Come work with me at the polls,'" said Boseman, a volunteer for nearly 20 years. McSwain soon joined her and the two friends have since worked at Crescent precinct on Possum Trot Road in North Myrtle Beach.

Full menu of political fare

If you haven't yet had your fill of chicken bog or campaign promises, there's a full slate of political events over the next week.

• Coroner Robert Edge's re-election committee will have a fundraising dinner Sunday at Luigi's Trattoria. The cost is $50 per person or $75 per couple, with the meal, soft drinks and tax and tip included.

WHEN | 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE | Luigi's Trattoria, 503 61st Ave N, Myrtle Beach.

MORE INFO | John Bonsignor, 385-3963.

• On Monday, the Horry County Democratic Party is holding a "Meet the Democratic Candidate Forum" in Conway. Enthusiastic demonstrations of support are encouraged, but surrogate speakers are not allowed.

WHEN | 6 p.m. Monday.

WHERE | Bethel AME Church at the corner of Racepath and Smith Streets in Conway.

MORE INFO | Racepath1horry@aol.com.

• Also, don't forget a slew of other events, posted below on this blog: today's Republican debate hosted by the South Strand Republican Club, Monday's Campaign Whistle Stop hosted by the Myrtle Beach Republicans, and the "Luke vs. Liz" debate hosted by the Conway Federation of Republican Women.

Stump to honor Clyburn, Spratt

The historic Galivants Ferry Stump will be held May 12 in honor of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn and U.S. Rep. John Spratt, organizers announced today.

The Galivants Ferry Stump Speaking, founded in 1876 by the Holliday family, brings politicians and residents together every two years.

The 2008 stump will be held at Pee Dee Farms, the century-old general store in Galivants Ferry, on U.S. 501 where it crosses the Little Pee Dee River.

Bluegrass music and clogging will begin at 4:30 p.m. and local, state and national Democratic candidates will begin speaking at 6 p.m., according to a release from the families of Joseph Holliday and John Monroe Holliday.

filings update

Incumbents have been slower to file with their political parties in Horry and Georgetown counties this season. Robert Rabon, Chairman of the Horry County Republican Party said incumbents normally file early to show they have a strong commitment to the race.

``We normally have incumbents file in the first few days,'' he said. ``I do know that a few of them have been held up with other things. I think by the weekend most of them will have made it in.''

Filings for office

Filings with the Horry and Georgetown political parties began on Sunday and will continue through the end of March. Although most of the filings have been incumbents at this early stage, there have been a few challengers and surprises. We'll continue to post new filings on Politick-tock and on C2 of the print edition until the filing period closes. The following is a list of people who had filed as of 4:00 p.m.

Get your fill of party politics

If the continuing primary season doesn't satisfy your need for party politics, here's a sample of local party gatherings this month:

• The Horry County Democratic Party will hold its county convention March 10 to select new party officers and delegates to the state convention. Anyone is welcome to attend, but only delegates selected at the recent precinct reorganization meetings can vote.

WHEN | 5 p.m. Monday, March 10

WHERE | Burroughs and Chapin Auditorium on the main campus of Horry-Georgetown Technical College.

MORE INFORMATION | Call 488-4237.

• The Grand Strand Young Republican Club will holds its fourth meeting the same night, March 10. The guest speaker will be a member of the Horry County Police Department SWAT Team. The meeting is open to the public.

WHEN | 6 p.m. Monday, March 10.

WHERE | Paradise Resort, 2201 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach.

MORE INFORMATION | Britton Pruett, (843) 455-7961 or grandstrandyrs@gmail.com.

• Finally, the South Strand Republican Club will hold its annual awards dinner-dance at the end of the month. The Terry B. Cooper "Eagle Award" will be presented to state Sen. Ray Cleary III, the Woman of the Year award will go to Darlene Hyman, and Man of the Year will be state Rep. Thad Viers.

WHEN | 6 p.m. March 28.

WHERE | Inlet Affairs (across from Drunken Jacks), 4024 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet.

TICKETS | $40 per person, or $75 per couple.

MORE INFORMATION | Bill Schweitzer at (843) 215-5030, Charlie Soto at (843) 655-1793, or John E. Bonsignor at (843) 385-3963.

Another wrinkle in red v. blue

Today's article about the emerging race for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District describes the S.C. coast as a Republican stronghold since the Reagan Revolution of 1980.

That may be technically true for the 1st Congressional District, but it doesn't quite tell the whole story of Horry County, writes Sally Howard, former chair of the county's Democratic Party, in an email today.

"Up until the 90s Horry County was in the 6th district and had Democrat congressmen... John Jenrette, Robin Talon, etc.," Howard writes. "We were redistricted and the first year we were in the 1st dist. was 1992 (I was chairman of the local party). Mark Sanford won that seat then."

It's also worth noting that the heavily Democratic 6th district, now represented by Jim Clyburn, has also had Republican Congressmen in the recent past, Edward Young in the early 1970s and John Light Napier in the 1980s.

What's the moral of all this? It's always harder than it seems to paint only in red or blue.

No machine problems in Surfside Beach

Voters trickling into the Lakewood Elementary School polling site in Surfside Beach found electronic voting machines up and working well at 7 a.m., much to the relief of poll workers.

''We're smiling,'' said poll worker Marion MacDonald. "I prayed hard. As long as I've done this, 14 years, we've never had problems with this."

Coffee percolated in one corner of the school's cafeteria, while snacks lined a table behind the voter sign-in station.

"We hope it goes better today," said poll worker Elaine Steiner.

Local caucus watches

The local branches of several presidential hopefuls will be watching the Iowa returns tonight-- some with baited breath, others with beer.

A few of the campaigns including those for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will host events at restaurants and bars. Others will be having smaller get togethers at the homes of local supporters on an invite-only basis.

"I think a lot of people will be watching to figure out who will move on and who will be dropping out," said Barbara Leonard, a local organizer for the John McCain campaign. "There are going to be some little home get togethers, but nothing formal."