COLUMBIA, S.C. — According to the South Carolina Election Commission, more than 600,000 people cast a ballot in the state's Republican Presidential Primary on Saturday.
As of 10 p.m. Saturday, the Election Commission reported early numbers that show more than 19% turnout for the GOP presidential primary. That’s more than four times the number of voters who turned out for the Democratic presidential primary on Feb. 3.
Voters explained to News19 why they cast their votes.
“Voting is important for everybody, no matter what. It’s important for everybody, so that’s why I did it,” said Frances Roberts of Cayce. “No, wait, they did change the spot to vote, which was a little different. That was unusual, but once you got here nothing to it,” Roberts said.
Over in Irmo, voters could relate to the larger turnout, with lines wrapping around the hallway at River Springs Elementary. According to poll workers, the longer lines were partially due to precinct consolidation and poll machine issues early in the day that were quickly resolved.
Voters in Richland and Lexington polling sites said they waited in line for nearly an hour to cast a ballot at certain locations. Several precincts were moved or combined for both the Democratic and GOP primary elections in order to hold down costs.
“I wanted my vote counted for the primary," said Lynn Kohler in Irmo. "I want my person on that ballot.”
“I’m just glad there were a lot of people," said Paul Rhyan.
Rhyan was voting at River Springs Elementary in Irmo. "I guess it communicates to me that there’s a lot of concern,” he said about the upcoming presidential election in November.
“I figured we’d be in and out," Kohler said. "My son was in and out where he votes, my daughter-in-law was in and out. Nope, the line (here) was long.”
At other precincts, there was a quick voting process -- including for Governor Henry McMaster and his wife Peggy, who cast their ballots at the Olympia Learning Center on Bluff Road.