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Florence SC Politics & Government

Florence SC Politics & Civic News — Page 3

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.

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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.

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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
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NATIONAL 253 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 223 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
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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…
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 with the mayor and city manager, giving neighbors a path outside the packed regular meeting agenda. Sessions would run about an hour and a half. Anyone wanting a slot would contact the clerk office by
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,…
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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
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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 →
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POLITICS NEWS NEAR FLORENCE SC

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

Latest Florence Politics News — Page 3

  1. In-Person Advance Balloting Begins Oct. 19 Across SC

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina residents may cast ballots in person starting Monday, Oct. 19, opening a two-week stretch that closes Saturday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m. before…

  2. FBI Moves Toward Sole-Source UFC Contract for Agent Combat

    QUANTICO, Va. — Federal contracting papers show the FBI lining up a yearlong, no-bid deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to put special agents through mixed-martial-arts defensive tactics…

  3. Privacy Groups Challenge DHS Nationwide Voter Record Sweep

    WASHINGTON — Civic plaintiffs opened a federal case here Thursday against Homeland Security, saying the department quietly assembled a vast store of Americans registration files from nearly every…

  4. Trump Faults Kyiv Over Fresh Hits on Russian Fuel Plants

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump blasted Kyiv for restarting attacks on Russian oil and diesel plants, saying the raids lift world fuel prices after an energy pause he…

  5. Alaska Senate Rivals Trade Personal Blows in Final Debate

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola spent Thursday night hammering each other on character and policy in the closing Debate for…

  6. Press Secretary Zacharia Says She Did Not Pass California

    WASHINGTON — A senior administration official said Katie Zacharia, now the White House briefing-room lead, sat for California bar testing after Pepperdine Law and did not pass, intensifying…

  7. Democratic Senate Candidates Post Huge Third-Quarter Hauls

    WASHINGTON — Fresh midterm finance filings show Democratic Senate hopefuls flooding accounts in the July-September window, with Texas Democrat James Talarico reporting a $64 million quarter. His team…

  8. Governor Candidate Alan Wilson Rolls Out Affordability Plan

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Attorney General Alan Wilson, the Republican nominee for governor, rolled out a cost-of-living platform on Thursday that centers on taxes, fuel, insurance and power bills.…

  9. 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 with the mayor and city manager, giving neighbors…

  10. Trump Says Massive Oil and Mineral Push Ready in Greenland

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that large-scale oil, gas and mineral exploration is about to start in Greenland, linking the Arctic island to U.S. energy and…

  11. Judge Keeps CNN, Politico and MS NOW at White House

    WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the White House to keep letting journalists from three national news outlets into the complex while their lawsuit over a…

  12. Ukraine Says SpaceX Capped Military Starlink Speeds

    KYIV — Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that SpaceX imposed an unannounced speed limit on military Starlink terminals traveling at high speeds, disrupting several combat missions overnight. Presidential adviser…