2022 General Election: A look at who's on the ballot

South Carolina voters will head to the polls on Nov. 8, or earlier if voting under the state’s new early voting law.

A slew of local, state, and federal offices will be decided. Here’s a look at who’s on the ballot:

• GOVERNOR & LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster (Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette) is being challenged by Democrat Joe Cunningham (Tally Parham Casey) and Libertarian Bruce Reeves (Jessica Ethridge).

• SECRETARY OF STATE: Incumbent Republican Mark Hammond is being challenged by Democrat Rosemounda Peggy Butler.

• S.C. TREASURER: Incumbent Republican Curtis Loftis is being challenged by Alliance candidate Sarah E. Work.

• ATTORNEY GENERAL: Incumbent Republican Alan Wilson is running unopposed.

• COMPTROLLER GENERAL: Incumbent Republican Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom is running unopposed.

• STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION: The field of candidates includes Lisa Ellis (Democrat and Alliance parties), Ellen Weaver (Republican), and Patricia M. Mickel (Green). Current Republican Superintendent Molly Spearman is not running.

• COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE: Incumbent Republican Hugh Weathers is being challenged by Green Party candidate David Edmond and United Citizens candidate Chris Nelums.

• U.S. SENATE 2: Incumbent Republican Sen. Tim Scott is being challenged by Democrat Krystle Matthews.

• U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (District 2): Incumbent Republican Joe Wilson is being challenged by Democrat Judd Larkins for the seat that represents Barnwell, Aiken, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland counties.

• S.C. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (District 91): Incumbent Democrat Lonnie Hosey (a Barnwell resident) is facing no opposition for his seat that represents Barnwell, Allendale, and Orangeburg counties.

• BARNWELL COUNTY PROBATE JUDGE: Incumbent Republican Myrna Still Dill is unopposed.

• BARNWELL COUNTY AUDITOR: Incumbent Republican Gwen S. Kinard is unopposed.

• BARNWELL COUNTY TREASURER: Incumbent Republican Sandy Cochran is unopposed.

• BARNWELL COUNTY COUNCIL (District 2): Incumbent Democratic Councilman David Kenner is the only candidate on the ballot; however, Fonda Patrick is running a write-in campaign. Both are residents of Blackville. Candidate profiles are on page A5.

• BARNWELL COUNTY COUNCIL (District 4): Incumbent Republican Councilman Daniel Alexander is running unopposed. He resides in Barnwell.

• BARNWELL COUNTY COUNCIL (District 6): Incumbent Democratic Councilman Harold Buckmon is running unopposed. He resides in Barnwell.

• BARNWELL COUNTY SOIL & WATER DISTRICT COMMISSION: Curtis L. Hogg Jr. and Fleming McMaster are running for the two non-partisan seats.

Residents living within the boundaries of the Barnwell County Consolidated School District will elect new board members in the first election since the merger of the former Blackville-Hilda District 19 and Williston-Elko District 29. Residents can only vote for the non-partisan seat representing their district.

• School Trustee District 1: Teresa B. Hughes is unopposed.

• School Trustee District 2: No one filed for this seat.

• School Trustee District 3: Liana Orr is unopposed.

• School Trustee District 4: Tim Scott is unopposed.

• School Trustee District 5: Ronald J. Brown, who is currently on the board, is unopposed.

• School Trustee District 6: Edward F. Rockwell Jr., who currently serves on the board, is being challenged by Catrena Hughes-Parker. Candidate profiles are on page A5.

• School Trustee District 7: Ethel T. Faust, who currently serves on the board, is unopposed.

There will be two Statewide Constitutional Questions on the ballot.

• Amendment 1: “Must Section 36(A), Article III of the Constitution of this State, relating to the General Reserve Fund, be amended so as to provide that the General Reserve Fund of five percent of general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year must be increased each year by one-half of one percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year until it equals seven percent of such revenues?” Explanation: A ‘Yes' vote will increase the amount of money state government must keep in the General Reserve Fund (its "rainy day" fund) from 5% of the previous year's revenue to 7% of the previous year's revenue.

• Amendment 2: “Must Section 36(B), Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to provide that the Capital Reserve Fund of two percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year be increased to three percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year and to provide that the first use of the Capital Reserve Fund must be to offset midyear budget reductions?” Explanation: A ‘Yes’ vote will increase the amount of money state government must appropriate to the Capital Reserve Fund (the “reserve and capital improvements” fund) from 2% of the previous year’s revenue to 3% of the previous year’s revenue and require that the Capital Reserve Fund’s first priority is to offset midyear budget cuts at state agencies.

When & where to vote

Polls across the county and state will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

However, South Carolinians can now vote early during the two-week period before the election after early voting legislation was signed into law earlier this year. This allows any voter to visit an early voting location in their county and vote like they would at their polling place on Election Day.

“In-person absentee voting is no longer allowed by S.C. state law and has been replaced with a two-week early voting period. Absentee By-Mail balloting is available, but with significant changes to the application and balloting processes,” said Naomi DeFrenn, director of the Barnwell County Voter Registration & Elections Office. “Voters planning to vote prior to Election Day must vote during the Early Voting period or apply for an Absentee By-Mail ballot.”

Early voting for the 2022 General Election began Monday, Oct. 24 and ends Saturday, Nov. 5. A voter can vote at any one of the three early vote locations daily (excluding Sundays) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

 Barnwell County Voter Registration & Elections Office – 367 Fuldner Rd., Barnwell

 Blackville Community Center – 19464 Solomon Blatt Ave., Blackville

 Williston Town Hall – 13112 Main St., Williston

"As of late this afternoon approximately 40,000 people had already voted early, nearly doubling the previous one-day record for early voting set on June 10, the last day of early voting in the Statewide Primaries," according to the S.C. Election Commission on Monday, Oct. 24.

If voting absentee, the completed absentee by-mail application must be returned to the voter registration office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 28. Online and email application requests are prohibited by law.

Please go to scvotes.gov and Get Your Sample Ballot before election day to see what will be on your ballot. You can also check your voter registration information.