Charleston County voters face four ballot measures Nov. 3

Charleston County voters will decide four ballot measures on Tuesday, Nov. 3, covering billions of dollars in transportation, school construction and land purchases.

The measures include a half-cent county sales tax projected to raise $4.25 billion, a $300 million bond issue tied to that tax, a 1% school capital improvements tax expected to generate about $1.25 billion and a $3 million bond for the Town of Hollywood. Not every measure appears on every ballot.

As we reported Oct. 31, North Charleston stands to benefit significantly from the transportation sales tax.

Question 1: Half-cent county sales tax

The first question asks voters to approve a 0.5% sales and use tax lasting up to 25 years or until $4.25 billion is collected, according to the Charleston County Elections office.

The money would be split three ways. Roads, bridges and transportation projects would receive $2.702 billion. Public transit, including the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), would get $858 million. The county's Greenbelt conservation program would receive $690 million, split evenly between urban and rural land.

Featured North Charleston-area road projects on the list include the Rivers Avenue Railroad Overpass at Durant Avenue, Mall Drive improvements and Patriot Boulevard widening. The program also names intersection upgrades at Stall Road at Midland Park Road and Ashley Phosphate Road, and at Ladson Road at Palmetto Commerce Parkway.

Charleston County developed the project list after attending nearly 80 public meetings that produced about 29,000 comments and more than 600 project requests, according to the county's transportation referendum site.

Question 2: $300 million in bonds

The second question is directly tied to Question 1. It asks voters to authorize up to $300 million in general obligation bonds, payable from the half-cent sales tax revenue described in Question 1, maturing over no more than 25 years.

Charleston City Councilman Stephen Bowden said borrowing against expected sales tax revenue could make funds available sooner and speed up projects that might otherwise wait years, Hoodline reported. If the sales tax passes, the county plans to spend its first year designing major projects while advancing smaller improvements such as intersection upgrades and roundabouts, according to the same report.

School capital improvements tax

A separate question asks whether to extend the existing 1% education sales tax for six more years. The tax would not increase the sales tax rate, according to the Charleston County School District. Collection would begin after the current tax expires on Dec. 31, 2028, covering the period from 2029 through 2034.

The Post and Courier first reported that the extension is expected to generate about $1.25 billion for Charleston County, as carried by Yahoo News. Voters first approved the penny tax in 2010, renewed it in 2014 and again in 2020, the same report stated.

The project list includes replacement schools for Midland Park Primary, Ladson Primary, Northwoods Middle and others. It also names a new Pepperhill Elementary multipurpose room and classroom addition, early education additions at Hunley Park Elementary and district-wide safety and security upgrades.

The tax does not apply to groceries or personal hygiene products, according to the Post and Courier's reporting. Tourists also contribute to the tax when they shop and dine in the county. Districts must set aside 10% of their sales tax share to reduce existing debt paid through property taxes.

If voters reject the measure, the current tax expires at the end of 2028. The listed projects would need to be delayed, scaled back or funded through other means, according to district officials cited in the Post and Courier's reporting.

Town of Hollywood bond

Only voters who live in the Town of Hollywood will see this question. It asks whether to authorize up to $3 million in general obligation bonds to purchase real property, according to the Charleston County Elections office. The ballot language does not specify which property the town intends to buy.

How to vote

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.

Voters must bring an unexpired photo ID. Accepted forms include a South Carolina driver's license, S.C. DMV ID card, S.C. voter registration card with photo, federal military ID, S.C. concealed weapons permit or U.S. passport.

Isaac Cramer, executive director of the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, said more than 89,000 people voted early in Charleston County, a record that topped the nearly 67,000 early votes cast in the 2022 midterm, Live 5 News reported.

CARTA and TriCounty Link are offering free rides to polling places on Election Day, Live 5 reported.

Unofficial election results will be posted at scVOTES.gov on election night. Results are unofficial until certified.

*Only eligible Town of Hollywood voters may vote on this question.