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Florence SC Politics & Government

Florence SC Politics & Civic News — Page 5

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 280 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 269 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

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Florence, Florence County, & South Carolina Capitol
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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…
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. Darline 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 5

  1. U.S.-Iran Escalation in Strait of Hormuz Raises Global Energy Concerns, Impacting Florence

    Renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran around Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz emerged this week, prompting concerns over global shipping and energy markets. The…

  2. Qatar Mediation Efforts Keep Iran De-escalation Talks in Focus, With Economic Implications for Florence

    A Qatar-linked mediation effort has emerged as a new avenue for de-escalation following recent tensions in the Gulf region involving Iran. This diplomatic push is part of broader…

  3. Supreme Court Justices Testify on Budget, Security Needs in Rare Congressional Hearing, Impacting Florence

    WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett were scheduled to testify before a congressional panel this week, a rare public appearance by sitting justices…

  4. Florence Monitors Global Developments Amid U.S. Strikes and Sanctions

    United States military actions have been reported in connection with recent attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, according to non-federal international and U.S. reporting. These…

  5. Supreme Court Justices Testify on Budget and Security, Drawing National and Local Attention in Florence

    Washington, D.C. — Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett recently testified before a congressional panel, addressing the high court’s budget and security needs. The appearance…

  6. Supreme Court Decision on Texas App Law Holds Implications for Families in Florence

    The Supreme Court has permitted a Texas law mandating age verification for app store access by minors to take effect, even as legal challenges against the measure continue.…

  7. U.S. Strikes in Iran, Sanctions Raise Shipping Risk; Florence Monitors Global Economic Ripples

    United States military forces have conducted strikes against targets in Iran, according to non-federal international and U.S. reporting. These actions are understood to be tied to a series…

  8. New Tariff Letters Spark Economic Focus in Florence

    President Donald Trump announced that tariff letters to a dozen countries had been signed and were scheduled for dispatch on July 7, signaling a renewed focus on trade…

  9. Supreme Court Emergency Orders Reshape Federal Authority, With Implications for Florence

    The Supreme Court has increasingly relied on emergency orders to address pressing legal questions, a practice that has drawn scrutiny for its expedited nature and impact on federal…

  10. Supreme Court Docket for Next Term Holds Implications for Florence and South Carolina

    The United States Supreme Court’s upcoming term is set to tackle a series of cases that could reshape legal precedents across several contentious areas, including the regulation of…

  11. Supreme Court Docket Sets Up Key Cases With Potential Ripple Effects in Florence

    The U.S. Supreme Court has announced a slate of cases for its next term that will address several contentious national issues, potentially reshaping legal landscapes across the country,…

  12. National America 250 Celebrations in Washington Spark Political Debate, Resonating in Florence

    The United States commemorated its 250th anniversary of independence on Thursday, July 4, 2026, with nationwide events culminating in ceremonies that drew significant attention to Washington, D.C. These…