Lancaster could lose Senate seat if Gregory not elected

The special election to fill the S.C. Senate District 16 seat will be one of the most important for Lancaster County in recent history. In a few weeks, the General Assembly will begin the redistricting process and redraw the lines for all Senate districts. Currently, half of the district’s residents live in Lancaster and the other half are in York County. Our neighboring county has grown considerably since the last census and will likely gain a Senate seat.
For York to gain a seat, however, another county must lose one. The candidates for the seat are Greg Gregory of Lancaster and two other men from Fort Mill. It is a virtual certainty that if Greg is not elected that Lancaster County will lose a Senate seat for the next 10 years that it has held for almost two centuries. Lancaster residents would then have to travel to Fort Mill or Camden to see their senator. The loss of a resident senator would also likely result in diminished state funding, economic development and job opportunities. The University of South Carolina at Lancaster’s future could also dim. You can do something to prevent this, though. Take five minutes to vote on April 12, or cast an absentee ballot prior to then. Our future depends on it.

John Duke
Lancaster