Pee Dee voters turn out for Democratic primary

The polls in the Pee Dee were abuzz with activity Saturday as residents made their way to their wards to vote in the Democratic primary.

Democratic candidates and their supporters spent most of the day making surprise visits to local businesses and going from door-to-door in a last minute effort to persuade voters to cast ballots in their favor.

Michelle Obama visited at least two beauty salons in Florence on Saturday, while a group of Barack Obama campaign supporters spent the morning knocking on Darlington residents’ doors and leaving literature.

Florence voter Jana Goss said she made up her mind more than a year ago, but last ditch campaigning might help candidates gain the support of those who still are undecided.

“I think they can go and listen to the points of views of the candidates and maybe make up their minds,” Goss said. “But some like myself that already know — I don’t see them changing their minds.”

One voter said he made up his mind shortly before walking into Florence Ward 11, which voted at the Maple Park Community Center.

“This has been a tough decision this time around, including which primary to vote in,” he said. “I voted for Barack Obama — it was a really tough choice between Hillary (Clinton) and Barack. I think there are really good things about each candidate.”

While political analysts say some voters might make a decision based on the excitement of the possibility of the first black president or the first female president, Mary Kay Cusack, a black woman, said those issues had nothing to do with her decision to vote for Clinton

“I was not torn between the two at all, I know what Hillary stands for ... I’m not saying that because she’s a woman — I just think America needs a change,” Cusack said. “It’s not a black or white thing.”

Goss admitted that at some point, she did consider Clinton’s gender.

“It was kind of tough not to vote for Hillary because she’s a woman, but I think Barack’s the better candidate,” Goss said.

Some residents, such as Marion voter Johnny Schaeffer, opted to support underdog John Edwards.

Edwards earned his vote because of his plan for the poor and the working class, Schaeffer said. “He’ll be our best bet,” said Schaeffer, who voted at the Marion Fire Department.

Residents still were lining up to vote in Darlington at Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology just 30 minutes before the polls closed.

Darlington voter Pecola McDaniel said she usually votes early in the afternoon, but had to vote later Saturday because of special circumstances.

“My daughter just had a baby, so I had to go see him,” McDaniel said. “But this is a good time to come — the crowd has peaked and things have slowed down a little. So now that I’ve voted, I can go back home and finish babysitting.”

By 6 p.m., 538 people had voted at precinct 5, and 372 had voted at precinct 4, said Cleveland Jordan, a poll clerk at Mayo, where both precincts were operating.

Precinct 4 has 1,500 registered voters, while precinct 5 has about 1,098, Jordan said.

“The turnout has been pretty good, about average,” Jordan said. “I would have expected a little more.”

Voting machines closed rather smoothly Saturday evening, said Mike Young, Florence County Voter Registration and Elections director.

About 48 of the 68 Florence precincts had reported results about an hour and 30 minutes after the polls closed.

“It’s looks like a blowout for Obama,” Young said.