Two Greenville County Candidates Off Ballot

Two Upstate Republican Senate candidates have been removed from Tuesday's ballot.

Tommie Reece, a candidate for Senate District 6, and Wyatt Miler, a candidate for Senate District 5, were dropped for improperly filing their paperwork.

Greenville County Elections Director Conway Belangia said a letter to the Greenville County Election Commission from Greenville County Republican Party Chair Betty Poe was dropped off at about 4:25 Thursday afternoon.

"The letter stated that those two candidates did not simultaneously file a copy of their statement of economic interest with their statement of intention of candidacy," Belangia said.

Reece told Patch that she received a call informing her of the decision just before 5 p.m. Thursday, around the same time most media outlets received the same information. 

"I'm just trying to assess the situation and decide what course of action to take," Reece said. "In general, it's just outrageous. I've been certified, re-certified and been told everything was fine." 

Reece, a sitting member on the Greenville County School Board, said she had been advised that her status as an incumbent on that body meant exemptions to the statement of economic interest form - that otherwise must be filed at the same time a declaration of the intention to run is made - applied to her. 

"My understanding from the ruling earlier from the Supreme Court several weeks ago was that there was a question about new candidates filing statement of economic interest forms at the same time they ran for office. As I understand it, incumbents were under a different rule," Reece said. "I don't have everything clear. I got a phone call that was very general, so I don't have the details to know exactly what the issue is, or what I can do."

One of Reece's opponents, Chris Sullivan, shared her outrage. 

"Although Ms. Reece and I disagree on many issues, I am angry and outraged that she or anyone would be removed from the ballot at the last hour because of a minor and obscure legal technicality," Sullivan said. "All candidates deserve the opportunity to offer their views and ideas to the public. Likewise, the voters should be afforded as many choices as possible."

Belangia said all other candidates for Greenville County were recertified for Tuesday's primary.

According to the first page of the letter faxed to Patch by Belangia, the Greenville County Republican Party began reviewing their candidates in light of the .

In Oconee County, the Republican Party has cancelled its entire primary as every candidate was knocked off the ballot by the Court's decision.

The ballot remains unchanged in Pickens County, according to SCVotes.org.

GOP Chair Chad Connelly expressed his frustration with the recent turn of events Thursday evening in the attached video.