FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY

Columbia, S.C. – Earlier this afternoon, the South Carolina Supreme Court ordered the S.C. State Election Commission to return all Richland County ballots to the county. In doing so, the Supreme Court found that the November 8 recount order (pushed by the S.C. Democratic Party) was improperly granted and vacated it:

“The action before the circuit court involved challenges to elections, and protests should be filed with the State Commission for elections involving federal officers, state officers, members of the State Senate and House, and offices involving more than one county… Protests of the elections of county and less than county offices should be filed with the County Commission… Accordingly, the circuit court did not have subject matter jurisdiction over the election protests, and the November 8, 2012 order is void…

We, therefore, vacate the order of the circuit court. The recount of the ballots in Richland County as required by the order of the circuit court shall not be conducted.”

SCGOP Chairman Chad Connelly commented:

“We are pleased with today’s Supreme Court order. The rule of law was upheld. The Republican Party will continue to call for an immediate, outside investigation into the debacle at the Richland County Election Commission. Voters of every political stripe deserve better from their government.”

Link to Order: http://www.judicial.state.sc.us/courtOrders/displayOrder.cfm?orderNo=2012-11-13-02

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