PLEASE VOTE residents of district 5. We cannot have Andy Cheek bringing his politics across the river. Besides, Any needs to spend his time cleaning up his ratty yard. Junk cars, garbage and a garage FULL of crap for everyone to see. PLEASE VOTE!
AIKEN --- Registered voters in Aiken County's District 5 will get to choose today among a field of four Republicans and two Democrats in a primary that some say could result in at least one runoff.
"A runoff in the Republican primary is likely since there are four candidates for office," said Stuart Bedenbaugh, the executive director of Aiken County Registration and Elections.
To win the primary and advance to the Nov. 3 general election, a candidate must get 50 percent of the vote plus one. Should a runoff be necessary, it would take place Sept. 29.
The District 5 seat on the Aiken County Council is being vacated by Eddie Butler, who is resigning Nov. 3 because he plans to move out of that district. Republican candidates L.J. "Larry" Murphy, Barry Baggott, Sandy Haskell and former Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek, who moved to Aiken County, are running for the seat.
On the Democratic side, Judy Hamilton and James W. Richardson, both of Belvedere, are vying for the job.
District 5 includes a portion of the Five Notch Road area in North Augusta, part of Belvedere and also the Ascauga Lake Road corridor.
Mr. Bedenbaugh said there are about 11,800 registered voters in that district. He said he's expecting voter turnout between 12 percent and 15 percent. Polls will open today at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.
DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES
ANDY CHEEK
PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican
BACKGROUND: Former Augusta commissioner
RESIDENT OF: Outskirts of North Augusta
CAMPAIGNING ON: Savannah River issues, infrastructure improvements and finding ways to promote Aiken, North Augusta and the county's smaller towns, according to recent comments to The Chronicle.
JUDY HAMILTON
PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat
BACKGROUND: Social worker and member of the Aiken Public Land Trust, St. Andrews Society of Aiken, ABATE of SC and Palmetto Scottish Country Dancers.
RESIDENT OF: North Augusta
CAMPAIGNING ON: Broadening the county's tax base with new industry and better job opportunities and being an outspoken advocate for District 5 residents in such areas as affordable, accessible health care; programs for senior citizens; and improving education through fiscal and academic accountability.
L.J. "LARRY" MURPHY
PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican
BACKGROUND: Aiken County school board member from 2000 to 2008. He served on the first Aiken County Council in the 1970s.
RESIDENT OF: Clearwater
CAMPAIGNING ON: Keeping the status quo that current Councilman Eddie Butler has established.
BARRY BAGGOTT
PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican
BACKGROUND: An 18-year employee of Savannah River Site who serves on the Fairview Early Childhood Center's board of directors.
RESIDENT OF: North Augusta
CAMPAIGNING ON: Providing Aiken County residents with necessary county services at current levels while avoiding a tax increase. Will support county and city public safety departments and will focus on long-term economic growth in the county.
SANDY HASKELL
PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican
BACKGROUND: Has 36 years of business experience, 29 years in operations management of recycling plants and seven years in business development in the waste management and recycling industry.
RESIDENT OF: North Augusta
CAMPAIGNING ON: Continuing a cooperative spirit among council members and pushing for business-friendly tax structure and infrastructure; also wants to help grow the county's job base.
JAMES W. RICHARDSON
PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat
BACKGROUND: Former firefighter with Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department and worker with Aiken County EMS
RESIDENT OF: Belvedere
CAMPAIGNING ON: Support for public safety departments, to include the sheriff's office, EMS and fire departments.
BELVEDERE 9 PRECINCT: Nancy Carson Library, 135 Edgefield Road
CAROLINA HEIGHTS 10 PRECINCT: American Legion Post 232, 421 Radio Station Road
BELVEDERE 44 PRECINCT: Belvedere United Methodist Church, 202 Rhomboid Place
MISTY LAKES 45 PRECINCT: Mims Grove Baptist Church, 843 Ridge Road
WILLOW SPRINGS 49 PRECINCT: Woodridge Fire Department, 236 Hillside Drive
BREEZY HILL 50 PRECINCT: Christian Heritage Church, 285 Ascauga Lake Road
MIDLAND VALLEY 51 PRECINCT: Aiken County Career Center, 2455 Jefferson Davis Highway
FOX CREEK 58 PRECINCT: Public Safety Station 2, 481 Five Notch Road W.
BELVEDERE 62 PRECINCT: Belvedere First Baptist Church, 421 Edgefield Road
ASCAUGA LAKE 63 PRECINCT: Mount Transfiguration Baptist Church, 350 Blanchard Road
FOX CREEK 73 PRECINCT: Grace Fellowship Church, 507 Five Notch Road W.
Comments
PLEASE VOTE residents of district 5. We cannot have Andy Cheek bringing his politics across the river. Besides, Any needs to spend his time cleaning up his ratty yard. Junk cars, garbage and a garage FULL of crap for everyone to see. PLEASE VOTE!
please residents of aiken, don't vote andy cheek into office he will want to spend tens of millions of dollars to divert a portion of the savannah river into downtown aiken and call it "the aiken s.c. option"
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