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CLINTON, SC · UPSTATE EDITION · FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2026
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Downtown Eats & Sweets Closing in Laurens, Near Clinton Monster Mash Trunk-or-Treat Set for Downtown Clinton Blue Hose Volleyball Hosts Winthrop, Gardner-Webb in Clinton Man Charged After Shots Hit Wendy’s on Highway 56 in Clinton Former Reds First Baseman Todd Benzinger Dies at 63
Clinton SC Politics & Government

Clinton SC Politics & Civic News — Page 10

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

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POLITICS NOW
POLITICSMcMaster Creates Commission to Protect More SC Land ◆ POLITICSSC Early Voting Passes 280,000 After Three Days ◆ POLITICSDeputies Probe Assault Report From Trump’s Upstate Rally ◆ POLITICSSC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots ◆ POLITICSAlan Wilson Rallies Republicans in Greenwood on Bus Tour ◆ POLITICSClinton Voters Can Cast Early Ballots in Laurens Through Oct. 31 ◆ POLITICSClinton Planning Commission Puts Two Housing Annexations on Hold ◆ POLITICSLaurens County Council Leaders Back Shealy for House 14 ◆ POLITICSGreenwood District 50 Puts $175M School Bond on Ballot ◆ POLITICSGreenville, S.C., County OKs Mountain Creek overlay ◆ POLITICSWilson, Johnson clash in chippy debate ◆ POLITICSLaurens Mayor’s Youth Council Applications Close September 4 ◆

Laurens 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, Laurens County Council, Clinton City Council, and school district boards — each a separately elected body covering its own geographic slice of the county.

Laurens’s federal delegation includes US Rep. Sheri Biggs (SC District 3) and Senators Darline Graham and Tim Scott. In Columbia, Clinton is represented by Sen. Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III (District 9) and Rep. Leon D. "Doug" Gilliam (District 42).

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

HERE Clinton covers Laurens County Council meetings, Clinton 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 Laurens County is governed, it’s HERE.

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Oct 23 McMaster Creates Commission to Protect More SC Land
Oct 23 SC Early Voting Passes 280,000 After Three Days
Oct 23 Deputies Probe Assault Report From Trump’s Upstate Rally
Oct 21 SC Early Voting Opens With Nearly 98,000 First-Day Ballots
Oct 20 Clinton Voters Can Cast Early Ballots in Laurens Through Oct. 31
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NATIONAL 453 responses

What do you think: Supreme Court Lets New Hampshire Bar Student IDs?

Strongly support — this is overdue 33%
Cautious support — depends on the details 26%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 15%
Oppose — not the right direction for Clinton 26%
Based on our coverage · October 23, 2026
NATIONAL 462 responses

What do you think: Outside Money Tops $18M in Arizona Race for Feely, Shah Seat?

Strongly support — this is overdue 34%
Cautious support — depends on the details 23%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 16%
Oppose — not the right direction for Clinton 27%
Based on our coverage · October 23, 2026
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McMaster Creates Commission to Protect More SC Land
Oct 23, 2026
McMaster Creates Commission to Protect More SC Land
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster signed an executive order Thursday setting up a new statewide panel to coordinate how South Carolina protects its open land, wildlife, historic places and cultural heritage. Executive Order 2026-24 creates the Governor's Conservation Commission, an advisory group meant to get state agencies, local governments, private landowners and nonprofits pulling
SC Early Voting Passes 280,000 After Three Days
Oct 23, 2026
SC Early Voting Passes 280,000 After Three Days
COLUMBIA, S.C. — More than 280,000 South Carolinians have already voted, the state's newest turnout figures show after three days of in-person early voting. Wednesday drew 88,108 voters, about 6% fewer than the 93,877 on Tuesday. The state also corrected Monday's opening-day count upward by 161, to 98,129, bringing the three-day statewide total to 280,114.
Deputies Probe Assault Report From Trump’s Upstate Rally
Oct 23, 2026
Deputies Probe Assault Report From Trump’s Upstate Rally
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anderson County deputies are investigating an assault complaint from President Donald Trump's campaign rally near Clemson this week, after protesters repeatedly interrupted his speech and several scuffles broke out in the crowd. The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said two incident reports came out of the Oct. 21 event at the T. Ed
Alan Wilson Rallies Republicans in Greenwood on Bus Tour
Oct 23, 2026 · SC Statewide · HERE Greenwood
Alan Wilson Rallies Republicans in Greenwood on Bus Tour
Via HERE Greenwood: GREENWOOD, S.C. — Attorney General Alan Wilson, the Republican nominee for governor, brought his campaign bus to uptown Greenwood on Thursday morning, Oct. 22, asking local Republicans to turn out and vote the whole party ticket on Nov. 3. The hour-long gathering at the Inn on the Square on East Court Avenue was the first […]
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,
Clinton Voters Can Cast Early Ballots in Laurens Through Oct. 31
Oct 20, 2026
Clinton Voters Can Cast Early Ballots in Laurens Through Oct. 31
CLINTON, S.C. — Clinton residents who want to vote before Election Day have one place to do it this year.…
Clinton Planning Commission Puts Two Housing Annexations on Hold
Oct 15, 2026
Clinton Planning Commission Puts Two Housing Annexations on Hold
CLINTON, S.C. — Two tracts on the edge of Clinton that could be brought into the city for high-density housing…
Laurens County Council Leaders Back Shealy for House 14
Oct 14, 2026
Laurens County Council Leaders Back Shealy for House 14
LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. — The two top leaders of Laurens County Council have endorsed Republican Rick Shealy in the race…
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Elected Officials

Your Clinton Reps

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

SC State Senate — Laurens County
State Senate
Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III
State Senator
District 9
R
SC House of Representatives — Laurens County
State House
Leon D. "Doug" Gilliam
State Representative
District 42
R
US Congress — SC
US House
Sheri Biggs
US Representative
SC District 3
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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Clinton City Council Agendas → South Carolina General Assembly → Find Your US Rep → City of Clinton Official Site → Rep. Sheri Biggs · SC District 3 → Sen. Darline Graham · US → Sen. Tim Scott · US →
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Clinton is in Laurens County, South Carolina. Mayor, City of Clinton: Comer H. "Randy" Randall; City Manager, City of Clinton: Joey Meadors.

Latest Clinton Politics News — Page 10

  1. National Diplomacy Echoes in Clinton After Trump-Putin Call on Ukraine, Iran

    A recent phone call between the U.S. President and his Russian counterpart has brought renewed attention to diplomatic efforts concerning the conflict in Ukraine and ongoing discussions surrounding…