I did not want to walk into the booth and vote by the letter after a name. So I sat down with my sample ballot and asked one question of every race: what does this job actually do, and who is best fit to do it? This guide is my homework sheet, not my answer sheet. It tells you what each office does and what to ask. The choosing is yours.
Your ballot may differ. The races below are from my precinct (State House 117, School Board 6, County Council 6). Look up your own sample ballot and voting locations at scVOTES.gov.
Before you go
- Early voting: Oct 19–31, Monday–Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. (closed Sunday). Any registered Berkeley County voter may use any early voting center in the county.
- Absentee applications: due Oct 23 by 5 p.m.
- Election Day: Tuesday, Nov 3, 7 a.m.–7 p.m., at your own precinct.
- Straight-party does not finish your ballot. It skips nonpartisan races. You must mark Soil & Water and School Board yourself.
- Write-ins: on the screen for that office, choose “Write-in,” type the name, and check it on the review screen before you print.
- Read this at home. Campaign materials can’t be displayed near the polls, so if you print this, leave it in the car. Your own sample ballot from scVOTES.gov may come in with you, as long as you don’t show it around or hand it out. Bring your photo ID.
The ballot, race by race
Candidates are listed in ballot order. One question per race to get you started.
| Office | What the job does | On the ballot | Ask yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor & Lt. Governor (one ticket) | Runs the executive branch, signs or vetoes laws, proposes the budget | Michael Addison / Candace Brewer (United Citizens) · Walid Hakim / Arnold E. Karr (Green) · Alan Wilson / Mike Reichenbach (R) · Jermaine Johnson / Sam Skardon (D) | How will they pay for roads and schools as we grow? |
| Secretary of State | Business and charity filings, fundraiser and raffle oversight (not elections) | Mark Hammond (R, incumbent) · Jason Belton (D) | Is it time for continuity or fresh eyes? |
| State Treasurer | The state's investment banker; votes on state loans and property deals | Curtis Loftis (R, incumbent) · Vincent Coe (D) | Who has the track record handling money and accounts? |
| Attorney General | Chief prosecutor and lawyer for the state; consumer protection | David Stumbo (R) · Richard Hricik (D) | Criminal prosecution or consumer protection: which matters more to you? |
| Comptroller General | The state's chief accountant | Mike Burkhold (R) · Tiffany Boozer (D) | Who is trained to keep the books straight? |
| Superintendent of Education | Runs the state Department of Education: standards, testing, programs | Baba Amin Ojuok (United Citizens) · Ellen Weaver (R, incumbent) · Sylvia Wright (D) | What is their plan for teachers and public school classrooms? |
| Commissioner of Agriculture | Advocate for SC farms; food safety, gas pump and scale inspections | Chris Nelums (United Citizens) · Cody Simpson (R) · Michael Sullens (Libertarian) · DeShawn Blanding (D) | How will they protect farmland from being paved over? |
| U.S. Senate | Six-year term; votes on federal laws, budgets, judges | Darline Graham (R, appointed incumbent) · Kasie Whitener (Libertarian) · Annie Andrews (D) · Mark Hackett (Constitution) | Who will speak for South Carolina, not just a party? |
| U.S. House, District 1 | Two-year term; federal laws, budgets, veterans' services | Jenny Costa Honeycutt (R) · Bill Reeside (Libertarian) · Nancy Lacore (D) | Who will answer to the Lowcountry first? |
| SC House, District 117 (my district) | Writes state law and the state budget | Jordan Pace (R, incumbent) · Ashley Painter (D) | What have they done, or will they do, for families here? |
| Sheriff, Probate Judge, Clerk of Court, Coroner | Law enforcement; wills and estates; court records; death investigations | One candidate each (all R): S. Duane Lewis, Tiffany N. Provence, Leah Guerry Dupree, Darnell D. Hartwell | Unopposed. Write-ins are allowed. |
| County Supervisor | Chairs County Council and runs county administration | Johnny Cribb (R); write-in candidates may also be running | Who should lead the county through this growth? |
| County Council, District 6 | Zoning, roads, drainage, public safety and the county budget | John Marshall West (R, incumbent) · Leroy Godfrey Jr. (D) | What has each done or proposed on growth, roads and drainage? |
| Register of Deeds | Keeps the county's property records: deeds, mortgages, plats | Cindy Forte (R) | Unopposed. Write-ins are allowed. |
| Soil & Water Commissioner (vote for 2) | Unpaid, nonpartisan; erosion, drainage, land conservation | Charles E. Glover III · Nicholas W. Yoder (two candidates for two seats) | Not covered by straight-party. Mark it yourself. |
| School Board, District 6 (nonpartisan) | Sets district policy and budget; hires the superintendent | Sally Ballentine Wofford · Ashley Figueiredo | Not covered by straight-party. Who will keep up with growth in seats, buses and teachers? |
Five questions worth asking
- What does this office actually do? Judge the candidate against the job, not the headline.
- What has this candidate accomplished, not just promised? Look for a record: votes, jobs held, results.
- Do their experience and skills match the responsibilities? An accountant for the books, a prosecutor for the courtroom, a farmer for the farms.
- How have they demonstrated accountability? Do they answer questions, show their work, and own their mistakes?
- How will their decisions affect our communities in the years ahead? Roads, schools, water and emergency response should come before the rooftops, not after.
You don’t need to agree with me, or anyone else, to do that homework. The choosing is yours.
Where I read up
Nonpartisan voter guides from the SC Daily Gazette, local news coverage (Live 5, WRDW, Post and Courier), and each candidate’s own website. Your sample ballot and polling place: scVOTES.gov.
Be informed. Read the record. Examine the qualifications. Vote your conscience.
Make a plan to vote early, Oct 19–31, or on Tuesday, Nov 3, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
— Rev. Leroy Godfrey Jr.
Source check: candidate names, parties and order were verified against the official Berkeley County sample ballot (Live Oak precinct) on Oct 21, 2026. Incumbency labels corroborated against public records.