District 66 Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a veteran Democrat and the only local contested candidate in Orangeburg County, handily won re-election Tuesday to an eighth two-year term.

Cobb-Hunter defeated Republican newcomer Tim Hawkins by a vote of 6,415 to 2,340, a 73 percent margin of victory.

“I think that’s great,” said Cobb-Hunter. “Without question, I didn’t take it for granted. I worked as hard as I could to convince the voters that I deserved another term. I am humbled by the overwhelming show of support. I really appreciate it. I thank God and the voters of House District 66.”

Accustomed now to some sort of opposition almost every election year, Cobb-Hunter has said the challenge from Hawkins was no exception.

“The seat belongs to the people,” said the lawmaker, a former House minority leader. “They have an opportunity at each election to make a change and I never lose sight of that.”

Neither candidate had primary opposition.

Voter numbers were “pretty sad” said Earl Whalen, the county’s outgoing director of elections and voter registration. Of the 59,175 registered voters, only 23,905 went to the polls.

“When was the last time we had a general election where the majority of the people didn’t vote?” he asked. “It’s been a long time.”

Curious, Whalen checked online records dating back to 1984.

“In every general election until 1984, not only did we exceed 50 percent; but, generally, we exceeded the state average,” he said. “The worst we did was 55 percent in 2002.”

In an in-house challenge with registration and election assistant Pam McArthur, Whalen said he’d predicted a turnout rate of 65 percent if there was no rain, 55 percent if it started to rain and finally settled on 57 percent. McArthur won the bet with a prediction of 46 percent, still higher than the 40.40 percent who actually voted.

With an even-lower-than-usual voter turnout, due to the almost nonstop rain and campaigns that drew little interest, Orangeburg County voters held firm to their Democratic Party roots. Statewide, Republican Gov. Mark Sanford won re-election, as did GOP Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, while other races were close into the night.

There were 12,606 straight-Democratic-ticket voters compared with 3,236 straight-GOP voters.

Statewide and congressional votes from Orangeburg County, all were led by Democrats, with the exception of the 2nd U.S. Congressional District:

n Governor - Tommy Moore - 15,526 to 8,005 for incumbent Mark Sanford.

n Lt. governor - Robert Barber - 16,258 to 7,194 for incumbent Andre Bauer.

n Sec. of state - Cheryl Footman - 14,766 to 8,542 for incumbent Mark Hammond.

n Treasurer - Incumbent Grady Patterson - 16,473 to 6,987 for Thomas Ravenel.

n Comptroller gen. - Drew Theodore - 15,638 to 7,704 for incumbent Richard Eckstrom.

n Supt. of education - Jim Rex - 15,749 to 7,087 for Karen Floyd.

n Adjutant gen. - Glenn Lindman - 14,950 to 8,289 for incumbent Stan Spears.

n Com. of agriculture - Emile DeFelice - 14,418 to 8,946 for incumbent Hugh Weathers.

n U.S. Cong. District 2 - Incumbent Joe Wilson (R) - 3,334 to 3,117 for Michael Ray Ellisor.

n U.S. Cong. District 6 - Incumbent James Clyburn - 12,402 to 4,371 for Gary McLeod.

n Amendment 1 - 15,471 yes to 4,870 no.

n Amendment 2A - 14,880 yes to 4,735 no.

n Amendment 2B - 14,186 yes to 5,034 no.

n Amendment 3A - 13,949 yes to 6,033 no.

n Amendment 3B - 12,484 yes to 7,139 no.

n Amendment 4 - 12,938 yes to 7,066 no.

n Amendment 5 - 15,459 yes to 4,482 no.

County election officials will certify the vote Friday at 11 a.m.

Also, to be announced, will be the write-in winner of the nonpartisan Horse Range Watershed District. Ty Pritcher received 101 votes to win one seat, while a write-in must determine the other seat.

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 803-533-5545.

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