Staff Writer

In what officials are calling the largest turnout in memory, more than four out of five Union County voters went to the polls Tuesday.

Unofficial results show that 13,697 or 81.9 percent of the county's registered voters cast ballots. Union County Election Commission Chairman Keith Vanderford said this was the largest turnout ever for an election that he knew of.

Among the factors bringing voters to the polls was the race pitting Democrat Barack Obama, the first black American to be nominated for the presidency of the United States, against Republican John McCain. Obama handily won the race nationwide but lost out to McCain in Union County. McCain received 7,447 votes or 55 percent to Obama's 5,925 votes or 43.7 percent.

Four minor party candidates were also on the ballot for president including Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin who received 50 votes. The Green Party's Cynthia McKinney was the second black candidate running for president on Tuesday's ballot. A former Democrat and member of Congress, Ms. McKinney received 44 votes.

Former Republican congressman Bob Barr received 37 votes as the Libertarian Party candidate. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader ran as a petition candidate and received 36 votes.

U.S. Senate

Even though he was declared the winner early on, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham narrowly beat back Democrat Bob Conley in Union County. Graham received 6,877 or 52 percent of the vote to Conley's 6,341 votes or 48 percent.

Fourth Congressional District

While he won reelection, Fourth District Rep. Bob Inglis lost Union County to Democratic challenger Paul Corden. Inglis, a Republican, won district wide with 62 percent of the vote but managed only 6,341 votes or 46 percent in Union County to Corden's 6,808 votes or 52 percent. Green Party candidate C. Faye Walters received 253 votes or 2 percent.