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South Carolina down ballot state executive elections, 2014

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 South Carolina's 2014 elections
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South Carolina Down Ballot State Executive Elections
Primary Date:
June 10, 2014
General Election Date:
November 4, 2014
South Carolina State Executive Elections
Top Ballot
Governor • Lt. Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General
Down Ballot
Treasurer, Comptroller, Superintendent of Education, Commissioner of Agriculture, Adjutant General
Table of contents
Treasurer
Comptroller
Superintendent of Education
Agriculture Commissioner
Adjutant General
Key deadlines
Recent news
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Five down ballot state executive positions were up for election in the state of South Carolina in 2014. The five down ballot offices on the ballot in 2014 were South Carolina Treasurer, the South Carolina Comptroller General, the South Carolina Superintendent of Education, the South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture and the South Carolina Adjutant General. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

Incumbents Curtis Loftis, Jr. (R) and Robert E. Livingston, Jr. (R) were running unopposed for re-election to the treasurer and adjutant general offices, respectively. Superintendent of Education Mick Zais (R) was not running for re-election and three candidates were seeking the office. The agriculture commissioner and comptroller positions featured incumbents seeking re-election against two challengers apiece.

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. South Carolina utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary. Voters must take an oath affirming that they have not voted in another party's primary.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Treasurer

Candidates

General election

Republican Party Curtis Loftis, Jr. - Green check mark transparent.png Incumbent

Defeated in primary

Republican Party Brian Adams[3]

Results

Primary election

Republican primary
South Carolina Treasurer, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngCurtis Loftis, Jr. 62% 177,854
Brian Adams 38% 108,934
Total Votes 286,788
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.
Democratic primary
  • Uncontested

General election

Loftis won re-election without opposition

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $383,314 during the election. This information was last updated on April 6, 2015.[4]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Curtis LoftisRepublican Party South Carolina Treasurer Won $349,979
Brian AdamsRepublican Party South Carolina Treasurer Defeated $33,335
Grand Total Raised $383,314

Duties

The treasurer is the chief banker of the state of South Carolina, responsible for the investment, cash management and safekeeping of the state's general and restricted funds and assets of the state's retirement systems.[5]

The treasurer is a member of the following state boards and commissions:

  • State Budget & Control Board
  • South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission
  • State Board of Financial Institutions
  • South Carolina Tobacco Authority
  • South Carolina Education Authority

Comptroller

Candidates

General election

Republican Party Richard Eckstrom - Incumbent Green check mark transparent.png [3]
Democratic Party Kyle Herbert[6]

Withdrawn

Republican Party Robert Shelley[3]
Republican Party Michael Luppe[3]

Results

General election

South Carolina Controller, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Eckstrom Incumbent 59.8% 728,549
     Democratic Kyle Herbert 40.1% 489,066
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.1% 693
Total Votes 1,218,308
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $216,351 during the election. This information was last updated on April 6, 2015.[7]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Richard EckstromRepublican Party South Carolina Comptroller Won $186,982
Kyle HerbertDemocratic Party South Carolina Comptroller Defeated $29,369
Grand Total Raised $216,351

Duties

The mission of the Comptroller General's office is to "Serve the Legislature, Judiciary, Executive offices, state agencies, and the citizens of South Carolina by providing centralized payroll and vendor payment processing and centralized accounting and reporting of financial data in accordance with the statewide program budget structure mandated by the General Assembly and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)."[8]

The main duties of the office include:

  • supervising the state's spending
  • keeping the state's books
  • maintaining accounting controls over state agencies
  • processing all payrolls for state employees, vouchers for bills owed by the state and interdepartmental payments between state agencies

Superintendent

Candidates

General election

Democratic Party Tom Thompson[3]
Republican Party Molly Mitchell Spearman Green check mark transparent.png [9]
Grey.png Ed Murray[6]

Did not file

Republican Party Mick Zais - Incumbent

Defeated in primary or runoff

Democratic Party Montrio Belton - Former director of School Transformation in the state Department of Education[10]
Democratic Party Jerry Govan[3]
Democratic Party Sheila Gallagher[9]
Republican Party Gary Burgess - Member of the Anderson County Board of Education[11]
Republican Party Sheri Few - Activist[12]
Republican Party Amy Cofield - former educator and friend of Gov. Haley[13]
Republican Party Charmeka Childs - Deputy superintendent of education[14]
Republican Party Don Jordan[9]
Republican Party Elizabeth Moffly - former congressional candidate[3]
Republican Party Sally Atwater - special needs educator and widow of late political operative Lee Atwater[15]

Withdrawn

Democratic Party Michael Anthony - State representative[16][17]
Republican Party Andy Patrick - State representative[18][19]

Results

General election

South Carolina Superintendent, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMolly Mitchell Spearman 57% 699,081
     Democratic Tom Thompson 38.8% 476,358
     American Ed Murray 3.8% 46,695
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.4% 5,055
Total Votes 1,227,189
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission

Runoff results

Republican runoff
South Carolina Superintendent of Education, Republican Runoff, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMolly Mitchell Spearman 57.2% 76,672
Sally Atwater 42.8% 57,452
Total Votes 134,124
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.
Democratic runoff
South Carolina Superintendent of Education, Democratic Runoff, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngTom Thompson 59.1% 23,541
Sheila Gallagher 40.9% 16,269
Total Votes 39,810
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.

Primary results

Republican primary
South Carolina Superintendent, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngMolly Mitchell Spearman 22.4% 64,992
Green check mark transparent.pngSally Atwater 22% 63,584
Sheri Few 19.4% 56,044
Gary Burgess 10.7% 31,091
Amy Cofield 7.2% 20,720
Charmeka Childs 6.7% 19,436
Elizabeth Moffly 6% 17,421
Don Jordan 5.6% 16,246
Total Votes 289,534
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.
Democratic primary
South Carolina Superintendent, Democratic Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngSheila Gallagher 36.4% 42,186
Green check mark transparent.pngTom Thompson 26.3% 30,488
Jerry Govan 18.9% 21,824
Montrio Belton 18.4% 21,260
Total Votes 115,758
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $869,909 during the election. This information was last updated on March 23, 2015.[20]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Molly Mitchell SpearmanRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Won $352,323
Sally AtwaterRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $256,979
Charmeka ChildsRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $89,575
Sheri FewRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $77,167
Amy CofieldRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $44,362
Tom ThompsonDemocratic Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $28,215
Elizabeth MofflyRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $22,104
Gary BurgessRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $12,420
Jerry GovanDemocratic Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $7,944
Don JordanRepublican Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $7,870
Ed MurrayGrey.png South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $6,780
Sheila GallagherDemocratic Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $6,300
Montrio BeltonDemocratic Party South Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Defeated $−42,130
Grand Total Raised $869,909

Duties

State law prescribes seven general duties of the superintendent:[21]

  • 1. Serve as secretary and administrative officer to the State Board of Education.
  • 2. Have general supervision over and management of all public school funds provided by the State and Federal Governments.
  • 3. Organize, staff and administer a State Department of Education which shall include such division and departments as are necessary to render the maximum service to public education in the State.
  • 4. Keep the public informed as to the problems and needs of the public schools by constant contact with all school administrators and teachers, by his personal appearances at public gatherings and by information furnished to the various news media of the State.
  • 5. Have printed and distributed such bulletins, manuals, and circulars as he may deem necessary for the professional improvement of teachers and for the cultivation of public sentiment for public education, and have printed all forms necessary and proper for the administration of the State Department of Education.
  • 6. Administer, through the State Department of Education, all policies and procedures adopted by the State Board of Education.
  • 7. Assume such other responsibilities and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law or as may be assigned by the State Board of Education.

Agriculture Commissioner

Candidates

General election

Republican Party Hugh Weathers - IncumbentGreen check mark transparent.png[9]
Grey.png David Edmond - United Citizens Party candidate[3]
Grey.png Emile DeFelice - American Party candidate[3]

Defeated in primary

Republican Party Joe Farmer[9]

Results

General election

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngHugh Weathers Incumbent 79.7% 759,640
     United Citizen David Edmond 11.1% 106,223
     American Emile DeFelice 8.9% 84,831
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.3% 2,922
Total Votes 953,616
Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission

Republican primary

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngHugh Weathers 65.1% 184,621
Joe Farmer 34.9% 99,155
Total Votes 283,776
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.

Democratic primary

  • Uncontested

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $431,111 during the election. This information was last updated on April 6, 2015.[22]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Hugh WeathersRepublican Party South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Won $418,276
Emile DeFeliceGrey.png South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Defeated $12,835
Joe FarmerRepublican Party South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Defeated $0
David EdmondGrey.png South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Defeated $0
Grand Total Raised $431,111

Duties

State law sets out three main duties of the Commissioner:[21]

  • (1) Be charged with all work looking to the promotion of agriculture and cattle raising, including the collection and publication of information in regard to localities, character, accessibility, cost and modes of utilization of soils and, more specifically, the inducement of capital to invest in agriculture and cattle raising by the dissemination of information relative to the advantages of soil and climate and other natural resources of the State;
  • (2) Collect from the farmers and landowners of the State and list information as to lands, stating the number of acres, the location and the terms upon which they may be bought; and
  • (3) Keep a land registry and in connection therewith from time to time issue a publication descriptive of such listed agricultural, forest and trucking lands as may be offered to the Department for sale or share, such publication to be in an attractive form, setting forth the county, township, number of acres, names and addresses of owners and such other information as may be helpful in placing inquiring homeseekers in communication with the landowners.[21]

Adjutant General

Candidates

General election

Republican Party Robert E. Livingston, Jr. - Incumbent Green check mark transparent.png

Defeated in primary

Republican Party James Breazeale[9]

Results

Primary election

Republican primary
South Carolina Adjutant General, Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRobert E. Livingston, Jr. 75.8% 209,561
James Breazeale 24.2% 67,077
Total Votes 276,638
Election results via South Carolina State Elections Commission.
Democratic primary
  • Uncontested

General election

Livingston won re-election without opposition.

Campaign finance

Comprehensive donor information for this election has been collected by Follow the Money. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $482,561 during the election. This information was last updated on April 6, 2015.[23]

Campaign Contribution Totals
Candidate Office Result Contributions
Robert E. Livingston, Jr.Republican Party South Carolina Adjutant General Won $449,406
James BreazealeRepublican Party South Carolina Adjutant General Defeated $33,155
Grand Total Raised $482,561

Duties

The Adjutant General serves as head of the Military Department of the state, and is in charge of the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard, Emergency Management Division, the State Guard, Youth Challenge and AmeriCorps.

Key deadlines

Deadline Event
March 30, 2014 Primary and convention filing deadline[24]
June 10, 2014 Primary election
August 15, 2014 Filing deadline for petition and nonpartisan candidates
November 4, 2014 General election
January 14, 2015 Inauguration for state executives

Recent news

Adjutant General

This section links to a Google news search for the term "South + Carolina + adjutant + general + election + 2014"

South Carolina Adjutant General Election News Feed

Agriculture Commissioner

This section links to a Google news search for the term "South + Carolina + agriculture + commissioner + election + 2014"

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Election News Feed

Comptroller

This section links to a Google news search for the term "South + Carolina + comptroller + election + 2014"

South Carolina Comptroller Election News Feed

Superintendent of Education

This section links to a Google news search for the term "South + Carolina + Superintendent + Education + election + 2014"

South Carolina Superintendent of Education Election News Feed

Treasurer

This section links to a Google news search for the term "South + Carolina + treasurer + election + 2014"

South Carolina Treasurer Election News Feed

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024
  2. ↑ South Carolina Legislature,"South Carolina Code of Laws Unannotated § 7-9-10," accessed September 24, 2024
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," March 31, 2014
  4. ↑ Follow the Money, "Overview of South Carolina 2014 elections," accessed April 8, 2015
  5. ↑ Treasurer.SC.gov, "Meet the treasurer," accessed October 13, 2011 (dead link) (dead link)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The State, "ELECTION 2014 (updated): Who's filed for statewide, State House, Congressional offices," March 27, 2014
  7. ↑ Follow the Money, "Overview of South Carolina 2014 elections," accessed April 8, 2015
  8. ↑ Cg.SC.gov, "Office of the Comptroller General: Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Accountability Report (page 4)," accessed October 13, 2011
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," March 27, 2014
  10. ↑ The Island Packet, "Former Zais employee to seek Democratic nomination for state schools chief," September 23, 2013
  11. ↑ WISTV, "Another Republican announces run for SC Education Superintendent," January 22, 2014
  12. ↑ WISTV, "2nd Republican jumps into SC superintendent's race," January 22, 2014
  13. ↑ The Post and Courier, "Another contender jumps into the race for Superintendent of Education," February 7, 2014
  14. ↑ GoUpstate, "Mick Zais' deputy to enter GOP race," February 7, 2014 (dead link) (dead link)
  15. ↑ The State, "Exclusive: Sally Atwater, widow of GOP operative, to run for SC education chief," February 7, 2014
  16. ↑ South Carolina Radio Network, "Upstate lawmaker Anthony to run for State Education Superintendent," August 14, 2013
  17. ↑ The State, "ELECTION 2014: State Rep. Mike Anthony drops out of race for state schools chief," March 13, 2014
  18. ↑ WISTV, "Rep. Patrick running for state superintendent," January 22, 2014
  19. ↑ The Post and Courier, "Rep. Patrick ends his race for S.C. education superintendent," January 28, 2014
  20. ↑ Follow the Money, "Overview of New York 2014 elections," accessed March 27, 2015
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 South Carolina Code of Laws, " Title 59, Chapter 3," Accessed January 18, 2013 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "SClaws" defined multiple times with different content
  22. ↑ Follow the Money, "Overview of South Carolina 2014 elections," accessed April 8, 2015
  23. ↑ Follow the Money, "Overview of South Carolina 2014 elections," accessed April 8, 2015
  24. ↑ Souith Carolina Election Commission, "2014 Election Calendar," January 8, 2014
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