What to expect for the November 2024 general election

In less than nine months, Sumterites will be voting for leaders for local, state and national seats.

The South Carolina Democratic and Republican primaries are done, with President Joseph R. Biden as the state's Democratic nominee and Donald Trump as the state's Republican nominee.

And here are some of the South Carolina state and local Sumter elections in 2024 and current elected officials:

- 5th Congressional District, Rep. Ralph Norman

- 6th Congressional District, Rep. James E. Clyburn

- 29th Senatorial District, Sen. Gerald Malloy

- 35th Senatorial District, Sen. Thomas McElveen

- 36th Senatorial District, Sen. Kevin Johnson

- House District 50, Rep. William W. Wheeler III

- House District 51, Rep. David Weeks

- House District 64, Rep. Fawn M. Pedalino

- House District 67, Rep. Murrell Smith

- Sumter County Council District 1, Councilman Carlton B. Washington

- Sumter County Council District 3, Councilman Jimmy Byrd Jr.

- Sumter County Council District 5, Councilwoman Vivian Fleming-McGhaney

- County Council District 7, Councilman Eugen Baten

- City of Sumter Ward 2, Councilman James Blassingame

- City of Sumter Ward 4, Councilman Steven H. Corley

- City of Sumter Ward 6, Councilman Gifford Shaw

- City of Sumter mayor, David Merchant

Filing for the following offices opens at noon March 16 and closes at noon April 1:

- U.S. House of Representatives

- Solicitor

- Multi-county district offices

- State House of Representatives

- State Senate

- Sumter County Council

- Countywide officers

- Auditor

- Clerk of court

- Coroner

- Sheriff

- Treasurer

Filing for Sumter School District Board of Trustees and for Sumter City Council seats opens at noon Aug. 1 and closes at noon Aug. 15. Filing for city seats will be done with the city clerk.

Sumterites will also be voting on the Penny for Progress initiative in November.

Sumter officials are continuing to prepare for the Capital Penny Sales Tax to be on the ballot.

If it gets a majority approval from voters, there will be an added charge of 1% of the sales tax imposed that will fund capital projects, and it will be active for no more than seven years if voters approve it. This added charge of 1% of the sales tax would apply to most items except non-prepared food items (groceries), prescription drugs and medical supplies.

The Sumter EDGE will be heading up the marketing and advertising campaign for the penny tax initiative.

"That has to be done with the private sector," County Administrator Gary Mixon said about having a promotional campaign for the penny tax during the Feb. 27 special called meeting of Sumter County Council. "[Government officials] can obviously advocate for the penny, but we cannot spend any public resources on that effort."

The Sumter EDGE is a 501c6 organization under Sumter Economic Development.

"[The Sumter EDGE] will be leading the charge on the education and marketing efforts for the optional Penny Sales Tax for the November 2024 Ballot," Erika Williams, communications and strategic initiatives manager for Sumter Economic Development, told The Sumter Item. "Plans have yet to be finalized how the EDGE will move forward with this task as they wait for the commission to be formed and the full project list to be developed."

The last time the penny appeared on a ballot was in 2022, and according to the county's website, the question asked voters to mark whether they are in favor of or opposed to "imposing the tax and issuing General Obligation Bonds."

County officials have not determined how it will be worded on the 2024 ballot, and they have not confirmed if it will be worded differently than it was in 2022.