SOUTH CAROLINA (WJBF) — Early voting continues in South Carolina, and one candidate will be listed twice when you cast your ballot. Lisa Ellis is listed under both the Democratic and Alliance parties. “Fusion voting” allows candidates to appear on the ballot under multiple political parties.
“This has been a process that’s been around state law for a long time. This isn’t the first candidate to be nominated by more than one political party,” John Michael Catalano of the South Carolina State Election Commission told NewsChannel 6’s Aiken Bureau Chief Shawn Cabbagestalk.
Although other votes will go to different political parties, they all go to the candidate.
“If the person got 50 votes from the Alliance party and then they got 50 votes from the Democratic party, the candidate would get a hundred votes credited to them for the election. So all the votes are added up and given to the candidate,” Catalano added.
Many of the viewers NewsChannel 6 spoke with in Aiken County didn’t notice Ellis’ name listed twice.
The November election will be the last time fusion voting will be allowed in the Palmetto State.
