Today's primaries critical to voters

So much can change in a mere 12 hours.

Today, area residents will wake to much the same world as it was the day before. But by 7 p.m., our world will have changed significantly.

Just 12 hours earlier, poll workers will have opened their doors and registered voters will have helped shape their world. By the end of the day, several Republican and Democratic candidates will have been selected by their supporters to run in November for political seats — from the U.S. House and Senate right down to the county clerk of court.

What does it mean to you? Key issues, such as immigration reform, funding for schools, important tax legislation, home rule laws, protection of the environment and defending personal liberties, all lie in the balance. And those are simply a fraction of the state and local measures.

When you pick up this newspaper each day and read stories on county government, schools or state bills, if you vote today, you'll be able to say you had a hand in defending your rights and privileges. If not, you will read those stories in apathy — without a voice. And when those measures come to fruition, you can complain, but the time for your voice to be heard will have come and gone.

Apparently, that apathy has become very status quo in Beaufort County. Folks like to have their opinions; they simply don't care to back them up at the polls. After all, the proof is in the polling: In the May 15, 2007, runoff that put Catherine Ceips and Weston Newton in the running for the state Senate seat, just 14.8 percent of county voters headed to the polls. That June, Ceips defeated Newton with the help of just 12.8 percent of the voters — not even 10,000 people.

We watch as the blogs light up with comments about why Candidate A is better — or worse — than Candidate B. We see a long line of letters to the editor doing the same. Callers complain about their local representatives. Residents decry local measures once they learn they are being affected. Yet only 15 percent or fewer actually bothered to vote when it counted the most.

Have no fear, you still have time: The polls don't close until 7 p.m. today. There are countless stories online and in this newspaper, and even video, that you can brush up on to see where your future candidates or representatives stand on issues important to you.

Remember, the only thing standing between you and your vote is apathy. It's time to be heard, Beaufort County. Stand and be counted.

The contested races today are:

Republican Primaries

U.S. Senate

Lindsey Graham (i)

Buddy Witherspoon

U.S. House District 2

Joe Wilson (i)

Phil Black

S.C. Senate District 46

Catherine Ceips (i)

Tom Davis

S.C. House District 123

Richard Chalk (i)

Starletta Hairston

Stu Rodman

County Council Distict 9

Bill Bootle

Brian Flewelling

Tommy O'Brien

Beaufort County Clerk of Court

Elizabeth Smith (i)

P.R. "Radar" Caulder

William Alston

Democratic Primaries

U.S. Senate

Michael Cone

Bob Conley

U.S. House District 2

Blaine Lotz

Rob Miller

S.C. Senate District 45

Clementa Pinckney (i)

Bobby Mayes

Richmond Truesdale Jr.

S.C. House District 122

Curtis Brantley (i)

Libby Henry-Green

Keith Horton

Thayer Rivers