Ard Effect: Likely Schedule For Senate Special Election

Changes are moving swiftly at the S.C. Statehouse with the announcement this morning that regarding campaign spending.

Sen. President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) is leaving one of the most powerful positions in Columbia to fulfill his Constitutional obligation to take over Ard's seat.

That means election officials will have to work quick to organize a special election for McConnell's long-held District 41 senate seat.

Charleston County Elections Director Joe Debney gave Patch a tentative schedule: 

• March 30 — Partisan filing opens for two weeks.
• May 22 — Primaries for the special election.
• June 12 — Primary runoffs, if necessary.
• July 17 — Special election.

Candidates will have to act quick, though, because the general election filing for the seat begins March 16. So, if they want to remain in the seat for the next term, they'll have to file in that race first.

With many expecting that McConnell would avoid taking the seat through some Senate maneuvering, this special election has come as a shock, with several politicians rethinking their possibilities.

The two elections will also fall under different boundaries because of redistricting. The new District 41 runs from portions of Summerville down to James Island. The current district lines, used for the special election, will include much of West Ashley, a portion of James Island and Johns Island, and all of Kiawah and Seabrook.