Greenville Joins Three Other Counties in Lawsuit
The South Carolina Supreme Court could decide this week who will pay for the GOP “First in the South” primary to be held in January 2012.
Greenville, Spartanburg, Chester and Beaufort Counties filed the suit naming the South Carolina Election Commission and the Republican and Democrat Parties as defendants.
The counties fear that they will be required to pick up part of the cost of the primary as happened in 2008 when state funds were inadequate to cover county costs.
In their lawsuit, the counties contend that the law giving the Election Commission authority to run the party primaries only applied to the 2008 election. However, Attorney General Alan Wilson told The Times Examiner that budget provisos specifically authorized the Election Commission to conduct the 2012 primary and collect filing fees from the parties to help pay for the elections.
The legislature approved only $680,000 to fund the 2012 Republican Primary. The counties contend that the appropriation plus the filing fees will fall short of covering the entire cost of the primary. The court must decide who will pay the additional cost.
The chairman of the Republican Party has said the party will pay the difference not covered by state funds and the filing fees, however, they are not contractually obligated to do so and the counties want a firm commitment of the funds they are not prepared to provide.
Governor Nikki Haley is opposed to the state funding primaries. She vetoed funds for the 2012 primary and lawmakers overturned her veto.
Democrats are not holding a presidential preference primary in 2012.