Politics

The S.C. House adopted rules Tuesday that will require more roll-call votes after months of criticism that legislators aren't held accountable enough for actions on bills.

Three influential leadership posts are in the balance as the state House of Representatives meets this week to assign committees and elect chairmen.

Address | 1301 Snow Hill Drive, Conway Age | Declined to respond Occupation | Retired Family | Married, two children and four grandchildren

As the federal government tries to revive the nation's ailing economy, President-elect Obama is proving to be a one-man stimulus package.

Ronald Bessant, democratic incumbent for the Horry County School Board District 9 seat, filed an appeal at the S.C. State Elections Commission Monday asking again for a new election for the seat.

NONPARTISANThe JR-12 precincts will host a citywide town hall meeting for the mayoral candidates in Conway at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Whittemore Park Middle School, at the corner of Wright Boulevard and Rhue Street. Candidates Alys Lawson, Russell Calhoun, Leslie McIver and Vivian Chestnut will participate, and reporter Tonya Brown of WPDE will moderate.

Keith Van Winkle, the Republican challenger who narrowly lost to incumbent Democrat Marion Foxworth for the Horry County Council seat in District 3, on Tuesday conceded losing the election - putting an end to one of the most heated local races this political season.

The Horry County elections commission on Monday denied an elections protest by Ronald Bessant of the results for Horry County School Board's District 9 contest.

Fear brought Joseph Cannon to Jim's Gun Jobbery on a recent Wednesday. But the 53-year-old retired Special Forces soldier isn't afraid for his safety. He's worried that soon after Jan. 20 - when Barack Obama takes the presidential oath of office - he won't be able to buy the gun he wants.

Ronald Bessant, the Democratic incumbent for Horry County Schools District 9, on Wednesday filed an official challenge to the results of the Nov. 4 general election.

Keith Van Winkle, the Republican challenger for the Horry County Council seat in District 3, filed a protest Wednesday alleging there was voter intimidation and confusion in his defeat to Democratic incumbent Marion Foxworth last week.

A vote recount Friday upheld Democratic incumbent Councilman Marion Foxworth's Tuesday victory over Republican challenger Keith Van Winkle in the Horry County Council District 3 race.

Members of the Georgetown County Board of Elections and Registration agreed Friday to certify Tuesday's voting results after a relatively smooth election, but agreed they should request a split of precincts in Pawleys Island.

Candidates, the clock is ticking. Campaign signs lining lawns and roadsides are now under deadline for removal. Today marks the last day to remove signs in Horry County, where candidates had three days after the election to take them down. Brunswick County candidates have seven days post-election for sign removal, while Georgetown County candidates must pick up signs within 14 days.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. | Speculation flew Thursday that N.C. State grad Robert Gibbs will become Barack Obama's White House press secretary. He wouldn't be the last person with Carolinas ties to join the new administration.

On Wednesday, the nation awoke to the prospect of a new president who had campaigned for nearly two years on a theme of change. Just as across the rest of the country, on the Grand Strand the conversation about what that change will mean was beginning in political circles, in business boardrooms and in classrooms.

A razor-thin margin in the vote count for Horry County Council District 3 has triggered a mandatory recount in a race between Democratic incumbent Marion Foxworth and Republican challenger Keith Van Winkle.

It will take a while for Grand Strand businesses like Murrells Inlet businessman Jeff Gore's to see a major effect from Obama's election, experts say. Gore, with his wife, runs J&J's Butcher Shop.

After a tight and sometimes abrasive race, Democratic challenger Linda Ketner conceded defeat Wednesday morning to Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, congratulating him on his return to a fifth term in Congress.

Horry County election officials said there will not be a mandatory recount in the Horry County School Board District 9 contest because the 105 votes separating the two candidates did not meet recount requirements.

Five new Georgetown County school board members - who represent half of the recently retooled board - will be sworn in before their first meeting Tuesday.

Incumbent Liston Barfield, R-Aynor, overcame his challenger to retain the S.C. House District 58 seat on Wednesday, according to the S.C. State Election Commission's Web site.

The N.C. legislature's longest-serving incumbent survived a scare Tuesday resulting from newcomers moving into his district outside of Wilmington, N.C. Sen. R.C. Soles, D-Columbus, was first elected to the legislature 40 years ago.

It was a day of elation, frustration and confusion for thousands of voters in the coastal Carolinas who turned out in force to participate in history.

Robert J. Robinson (i), D | 21,972 Brenda Mercer Clemmons, R, | 25,473 What it means | The deputy clerk of court takes over the office that's been run by incumbent Robinson, who has been the register of deeds for the last 28 years.

Gov. Sarah Palin didn't win her bid to become the nation's first female vice president, but many people agree she and Sen. Hillary Clinton - whose 18 million votes nearly carried her to the top of the 2008 Democratic ticket - are integral to a major shift in the way women are perceived in politics.

U.S. Rep. Henry Brown Jr. apparently survived the stiffest challenge of his eight-year congressional career Tuesday night by defeating Democrat Linda Ketner, although results were incomplete as of press time.

Democratic incumbent Councilman Marion Foxworth was leading Republican challenger Keith Van Winkle in the contest for Horry County Council District 3 with 89 percent of the votes tallied Tuesday.

For the first time since 2004, there will be racial diversity on the Georgetown County School Board, according to unofficial election results Tuesday.

One of the area's incumbents to the S.C. House kept his seat while the other worried into the night about hanging on. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, clobbered his competitor from the Constitution Party, Patricia Matthews.

Horry County voters said yes by an almost 2-to-1 ratio to a 1 percent sales tax to pay for capital projects at local schools and colleges. With 75 percent of the precincts reporting, 68 percent of voters supported the tax.

Former Georgetown County Councilwoman Lillie Jean Johnson defeated Republican Bruce Yablin, placing two women on Georgetown County Council for the first time in decades.

Two new faces will join the Brunswick County Board of Education and the incumbent chairwoman will retain her seat, according to unofficial election results.

Legislative veteran Dick Elliott appeared to have fended off a serious challenge and to have edged back into office in the sprawling four-county Senate District 28. The North Myrtle Beach Democrat led 53 percent to 47 percent over Republican contender Bill McKown in incomplete and unofficial returns.

Democrat Vida Miller has apparently survived a stiff challenge from a Republican newcomer for re-election to the coastal Horry-Charleston County state House District 108.

(90 percent of precincts reporting) Linda Mock (i), D, 55.5 percent Rod Stalvey, R, 44.37 percent What they said | "I'm encouraged. Hopefully, we'll end the evening with a win in my column," Mock said.

Horry County School Board Democratic incumbent Ronald Bessant and Republican challenger David Cox were neck and neck at press time: Both had about 50 percent of the vote.

S.C. voters don't want to take a gamble in the stock market. With 79 percent of precincts reporting, 58 percent of voters rejected a constitutional amendment allowing the state to invest in stocks to pay for future retirees' health care and other benefits.

Democrats in North Carolina's General Assembly hoped to benefit from the excitement surrounding Barack Obama's presidential candidacy and went into Tuesday's election with the advantage of having more uncontested races than Republicans.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham overcame Republican misgivings about his role in failed immigration legislation to easily win a second term against a little-known and underfunded Democratic challenger from North Myrtle Beach.