South Carolina State Senator Gerald Malloy, a Democrat from Hartsville, is challenging his narrow loss in the general election after an unprecedented discrepancy was discovered during a recount. The recount revealed a disparity of “hundreds” of unexplained votes between Malloy and his Republican challenger in Senate District 29. Most of the issues were found in rural Lee County, where the number of straight-party ballots cast decreased unexpectedly. Malloy’s team alleged that early voting ballots were missing or improperly included on Election Day, potentially affecting the outcome. They are demanding an audit of the election process and a forensic audit of the voting machines in the county.
Malloy emphasized the importance of election integrity and fairness, stating that every voter deserves to know their vote is counted accurately. The South Carolina Democratic Party endorsed the challenge, calling for a new count to ensure all votes are properly verified. The challenge has been met with opposition from the Republican Party and Malloy’s opponent, who labeled him a “sore loser” and denied any wrongdoing in the election process.
The South Carolina Election Commission has expressed concern over the disparities found in the recount and has requested a detailed explanation from the Lee County Board of Voter Registration and Elections. The county is required to provide a plan of action to rectify any deficiencies in the voting process. The outcome of the challenge could result in a new election being held in Senate District 29.
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