Lt. Governor André Bauer will push for one joint South Carolina presidential primary
News Release
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Press Contact: Frank Adams
(803) 734-9900
January 23, 2008 — Lt. Governor André Bauer said today he will push for one joint South Carolina presidential primary in future years, rather than separate voting days for Republicans and Democrats.
Bauer says that he sees the two separate primaries as a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.
During last year’s legislative session, the General Assembly allocated state funds to allow the State Election Commission to conduct the presidential primaries. In previous years, the respective political parties conducted and paid for their own primaries.
“As long as taxpayers are funding our current system of primaries,” says Bauer, “I see no benefit to them in having two separate primary dates in South Carolina. Why not open the polls once and hold two primaries, instead of paying for them to be open twice.”
“Additionally, participation would probably increase with a single election day because there is likely to be less confusion,” Bauer said. “It’s also possible that a joint system might allow voters who value their right to secret ballot to participate without publicly announcing their party preference.”
Bauer is sending letters to the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Governor requesting a study to find the most practical way to implement joint primaries in future presidential election years.
Bauer has been a long-time supporter of providing more common-sense access to public elections. South Carolina’s current law allowing all working people and senior citizens to vote by absentee ballot is the result of the first piece of legislation authored by Bauer as a freshmen state legislator in 1996.
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I am always for any piece of legislation which will save the taxpayers money, if that same legislation makes sence and has an immediate effect. This is the reason I totally agree with Lt. Governor Andre Bauer’s suggestion that South Carolina have only one Presidential Primary for both Democrats and Republicans. I also agree with his idea of Privacy for all voters so as not to allow anyone to know which Political Party one does choose to vote for. And I can only imagine the amount of Taxpayer Dollars all of South Carolina will save by supporting the “One Primary Method”
Thank You ~
Charles E. Rogers
Wonderful idea. I totally agree with the Lt. Governor. People should have the opportunity to vote how they feel, not how they will “look”. Also, if it saves money, all the better. The Lt. Governor continues to look out for the people of SC.
I completely agree as well with Lt. Governor Bauer. I believe that his reasons for the single day primary are very valid. I expect that the voter turn-out will likely double and we will be saving valuable tax dollars in the mean time. I can imagine scenarios where people may work in an environment where they are outnumbered by the opposing party and will try to keep that secret to keep from causing unrest. This would make it possible to have truly secret voting in the primary and would make the elections more accurate.
An excellent idea. Saving taxpayers money is always good.