Latest Lake City High Calls Off Homecoming Parade, Tailgates Over Safety
FLORENCE, SC · PEE DEE EDITION · THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026
BUSINESS DIRECTORY | ADD YOUR BUSINESS | NEWSLETTER | SUBMIT A TIP
HERE City Network
HEREFlorence
Why It Matters. HERE!
Lake City High Calls Off Homecoming Parade, Tailgates Over Safety FAA Certifies Boeing 737 Max 10 Russia Frees Jailed Michigan Man After Trump Appeal to Putin Kagan Says Court Election Rulings Have Hurt Democracy North Korea Orders Border Troops to Hit Back
Florence SC Politics & Government

Florence SC Politics & Civic News — Page 2

Covering Florence City Council, Florence County Council, South Carolina General Assembly, and your federal representatives in Washington, D.C. Accountability journalism for Florence County residents.

City Council County Council SC Senate SC House US Congress Elections Civic Issues
POLITICS NOW
POLITICSSC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots ◆ POLITICSTrump Rallies for Graham as SC Senate Race Moves to Lean GOP ◆ POLITICSFirst-Day Early Voting Crowds Jam Elections Office in Florence ◆ POLITICSAnnie Andrews Rallies Florence Democrats Before Early Voting ◆ POLITICSFlorence Council Adds Monthly Citizen Engagement Sessions ◆ POLITICSFlorence, S.C., gets $2.25M federal boost for water plants ◆ POLITICSWilson, Johnson clash in chippy debate ◆ POLITICSFederal Appeals Court Halts White House Ballroom Construction, Drawing Attention in Florence ◆ POLITICSFederal Appeals Court Halts White House Ballroom Construction, Raising Questions in Florence ◆ POLITICSSenator Whitehouse Renews Push for Supreme Court Term Limits, Appointment Reforms in Florence ◆ POLITICSQatar Mediation Efforts Keep Iran De-escalation Talks in Focus, With Economic Implications for Florence ◆ POLITICSSupreme Court Justices Testify on Budget, Security Needs in Rare Congressional Hearing, Impacting Florence ◆

Florence County sits inside one of the most layered governmental structures in the region. Residents answer to at least five levels of elected authority simultaneously: the federal government, statewide offices, Florence County Council, Florence City Council, and school district boards — each a separately elected body covering its own geographic slice of the county.

Florence’s federal delegation includes US Rep. Russell Fry (SC District 7) and Senators Darline Graham and Tim Scott. In Columbia, Florence is represented by Sens. Mike Reichenbach (District 31) and Kent M. Williams (District 30) and Reps. Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr. (District 63), Terry Alexander (District 59), Phillip D. Lowe (District 60), and Jackie E. "Coach" Hayes (District 55).

Florence County Council controls property tax millage, land-use zoning outside city limits, and fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreements. Downtown zoning decisions and the Florence Police Department budget run through Florence City Council. State funding for schools, roads, and Medicaid flows from the South Carolina General Assembly. The Florence County Elections and Voter Registration Office administers local balloting under SC Election Commission oversight.

HEREFlorence covers Florence County Council meetings, Florence City Council sessions, South Carolina General Assembly session, federal delegation votes and town halls, school board meetings, and candidate filing windows. We also pull FOIA-sourced travel records and contracts at both the city and county level. If it shapes how Florence County is governed, it’s HERE.

Live Updates

HERE! NOW! — Politics

Pre-Breaking Political Briefs — As It Develops
Live Political Feed HEREFlorence · Politics Category
Oct 21 SC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots
Oct 21 Trump Rallies for Graham as SC Senate Race Moves to Lean GOP
Oct 20 First-Day Early Voting Crowds Jam Elections Office in Florence
Oct 18 Annie Andrews Rallies Florence Democrats Before Early Voting
Oct 15 Florence Council Adds Monthly Citizen Engagement Sessions
Tip line: See something? Send tips to [email protected] or tag us #FlorencePolitics
Community Accountability
What's Wrong HERE?
Report infrastructure issues, government failures, and civic concerns

Report a Civic Issue

Anonymous. No sign-up. Your report goes to the right people.

1 Category
2 Where is it?
0/200
3 Describe the Issue
0/120
0/500

100% anonymous — no name, no email, no account needed

HOW IT WORKS

Your Voice. Their Responsibility.

The only local news platform where citizens can publicly surface issues to elected officials and get answers.

1
Report Your Issue
Select a category, choose your location, and describe the problem. No sign-up, no email, completely anonymous. Your identity is never collected or stored.
2
We Match You to Officials
Our system identifies which elected officials and government agencies have jurisdiction over your issue — from the Mayor and City Council to your State Representative and U.S. Congressman.
3
Public Accountability
Your issue is published publicly with the names of officials who can help. Politicians, campaign managers, and community leaders monitor this page. When their name appears next to a problem, they pay attention.
Why Use This?
It's anonymous. No name, no email, no account. Your privacy is absolute.
It creates a public record. Issues don't disappear into a voicemail box or email inbox. They're visible to the entire community.
Officials are watching. Every elected official in Florence knows their name appears here when constituents report problems in their jurisdiction.
Community upvoting. Other residents can upvote your issue, showing officials how many people care about the same problem.

HERE Answers

Civic issues submitted by the community. Answers pending from officials.

No issues reported yet. Be the first to speak up.

Community Voice

Florence Speaks

Voice your opinion on local political issues
NATIONAL 410 responses

What do you think: Russia Frees Jailed Michigan Man After Trump Appeal to Putin?

Strongly support — this is overdue 29%
Cautious support — depends on the details 23%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 21%
Oppose — not the right direction for Florence 27%
Based on our coverage · October 21, 2026
NATIONAL 361 responses

What do you think: Kagan Says Court Election Rulings Have Hurt Democracy?

Strongly support — this is overdue 30%
Cautious support — depends on the details 28%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 21%
Oppose — not the right direction for Florence 21%
Based on our coverage · October 21, 2026
Political Coverage

Local & State Political News

Florence, Florence County, & South Carolina Capitol
All Political News →
SC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots
Oct 21, 2026
SC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina voters wasted little time once in-person early ballots became available for the 2026 general election, with 97,968 people casting ballots statewide on Monday, Oct. 19, according to a turnout report from state election officials. The heaviest opening-day traffic came from the state's largest counties. Charleston County led with 9,389 voters,
Trump Rallies for Graham as SC Senate Race Moves to Lean GOP
Oct 21, 2026
Trump Rallies for Graham as SC Senate Race Moves to Lean GOP
CLEMSON, S.C. — President Donald Trump heads to the Upstate on Wednesday night to campaign for U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, a stop that comes one day after a national election handicapper moved South Carolina's Senate race a notch closer to a toss-up. The 7 p.m. rally is set for the T. Ed Garrison arena, a
First-Day Early Voting Crowds Jam Elections Office in Florence
Oct 20, 2026
First-Day Early Voting Crowds Jam Elections Office in Florence
FLORENCE, S.C. — Voters turned out in such numbers Monday, the opening day of South Carolina early voting, that the parking lot at the Florence County elections office could not keep up, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol was brought in to direct traffic. By midday, more than 400 people in Florence County had already
Annie Andrews Rallies Florence Democrats Before Early Voting
Oct 18, 2026
Annie Andrews Rallies Florence Democrats Before Early Voting
FLORENCE, S.C. — Annie Andrews, the Democrat running for U.S. Senate, campaigned in Florence on Saturday, Oct. 17, two days before in-person early voting opens across South Carolina, and urged supporters to make a plan to cast ballots and bring others along. Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Jermaine Johnson, the Democratic candidate for governor,
Florence Council Adds Monthly Citizen Engagement Sessions
Oct 15, 2026
Florence Council Adds Monthly Citizen Engagement Sessions
FLORENCE, S.C. — Florence City Council on Oct. 12 green-lit a local ordinance that opens monthly face-to-face Citizen Engagement Sessions…
Florence, S.C., gets $2.25M federal boost for water plants
Oct 8, 2026
Florence, S.C., gets $2.25M federal boost for water plants
FLORENCE, S.C. — The city of Florence, S.C., is putting $2.25 million in federal money toward its water system as…
Wilson, Johnson clash in chippy debate
Oct 7, 2026
Wilson, Johnson clash in chippy debate
FROM THE HERE NETWORK FLORENCE, S.C. — Pee Dee households in Florence tuned into Tuesday night's statewide debate as Alan…
Federal Appeals Court Halts White House Ballroom Construction, Drawing Attention in Florence
Aug 9, 2026
Federal Appeals Court Halts White House Ballroom Construction, Drawing Attention in Florence
A federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to halt aboveground construction of a planned 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom,…
Evergreen Guides
Political Resource Center
Civic education & voter resources for Florence County residents
🗺️
Find Your District
Look up your SC Senate, House, and Congressional districts after the latest redistricting.
Find your rep →
Elected Officials

Your Florence Reps

Every official with a vote on Florence's future — pulled live from our roster.

SC State Senate — Florence County
State Senate
Mike Reichenbach
State Senator
District 31
R
State Senate
Kent M. Williams
State Senator
District 30
D
SC House of Representatives — Florence County
State House
Wallace H. "Jay" Jordan, Jr.
State Representative
District 63
R
State House
Terry Alexander
State Representative
District 59
D
State House
Phillip D. Lowe
State Representative
District 60
R
State House
Jackie E. "Coach" Hayes
State Representative
District 55
D
US Congress — SC
US House
Russell Fry
US Representative
SC District 7
R
US Senate
US Senate
Darline Graham
US Senator
South Carolina
R
US Senate
Tim Scott
US Senator
South Carolina
R
HEREFlorence · Free Newsletter

HERE Politics Brief

Local government news, voting alerts, and civic updates — free every weekday morning for Florence County residents.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Delivered by HEREFlorence.
Quick Access

Quick Resources

Official links for Florence County civic engagement
Florence City Council Agendas → South Carolina General Assembly → Find Your District (SC) → Find Your US Rep → South Carolina State Ethics Commission → City of Florence Official Site → Rep. Russell Fry · SC District 7 → Sen. Lindsey Graham · US → Sen. Tim Scott · US →
@HERECityNetwork Live Feed
Follow →
Follow the conversation #FlorencePolitics — tag @HERECityNetwork to be heard Submit a Tip → [email protected]
HERE City Network

POLITICS NEWS NEAR FLORENCE SC

Politics coverage from the 10 closest HERE cities.
Myrtle Beach SCColumbia SCIrmo SCLexington SCRock Hill SCChapin SCCharlotte NCCharleston SCNewberry SCAiken SC
POLITICS SPONSOR — AARP — Real possibilities for 50+
JOIN AARP →
📅 This space available in 3 days — local advertisers get priority. Claim it →

Florence is in Florence County, South Carolina. Mayor: Teresa Myers Ervin; City Manager: Scotty Davis.

Latest Florence Politics News — Page 2

  1. Forecasters See Tighter Lacore vs. Honeycutt Race in SC-1

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — The race for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District has tightened in the eyes of two national election forecasters, less than three weeks before voters settle…

  2. Graham, Andrews Senate Race Tight as SC Early Voting Opens

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina voters can start casting ballots in person on Monday, Oct. 19, and recent polls show the U.S. Senate contest between Republican Sen. Darline…

  3. Annie Andrews Rallies Florence Democrats Before Early Voting

    FLORENCE, S.C. — Annie Andrews, the Democrat running for U.S. Senate, campaigned in Florence on Saturday, Oct. 17, two days before in-person early voting opens across South Carolina,…

  4. Federal Judge Tosses Trump Suit Against New York City

    NEW YORK — The Trump administration lost another round in its legal fight against so-called sanctuary cities late Thursday, when federal Judge Ramón E. Reyes Jr. in Brooklyn…

  5. Carney Urges Albertans to Reject Separation Path in Monday

    EDMONTON, Alberta — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrapped up two days of campaigning in his home province Friday night, telling a rally in the city where he…

  6. Democrats Lean on Iran War Votes in Midterm Ad Blitz

    WASHINGTON — With Election Day about three weeks off, Democrats and their allies are making the war with Iran a centerpiece of their closing television pitch, pairing votes…

  7. MARTA Still Has No Date for New Trains in Atlanta

    ATLANTA, Ga. — Riders waiting on MARTA next-generation railcars still do not have a start date. Agency chief Jonathan Hunt said during a public Atlanta City Council Transportation…

  8. South Carolina Arts Commission Appoints Scott-Fitts to Lead

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Arts Commission board voted unanimously to put Ce Scott-Fitts in charge of the state agency starting Friday, while commissioners keep searching for…

  9. 23 Counties Put Penny Sales Taxes on Nov. 3 Ballots

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Local tax questions will sit under the candidate races on Nov. 3 ballots in 23 South Carolina counties, asking voters whether to approve penny sales…

  10. Wilson, Johnson Split on School Choice and Pre-K

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Republican and Democratic nominees for governor are staking out opposite education platforms, with Attorney General Alan Wilson championing school choice and state Rep. Jermaine…

  11. U.S. Senate Contest Narrows as National Money Flows in

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina voters face a more competitive U.S. Senate ballot than usual after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death in July, with appointed Republican Sen. Darline Graham…

  12. Governor Awards Order of the Palmetto for Gullah Craft

    MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster this week bestowed the Order of the Palmetto on Corey Alston, a Mount Pleasant sweetgrass weaver recognized for keeping Gullah Geechee…