NEWBERRY COUNTY — Voters in South Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District will have to wait until later today to find out who officially won the Republican runoff election, Ralph Norman or Tommy Pope.

During the May 2 special election, to fill the seat left vacant after Mick Mulvaney resigned to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget, Norman and Pope both received a little over 30% of the votes, beating out the other five Republican candidates.

During that election Norman received a total of 11,808 votes and Pope 11,943. During Tuesday’s runoff election the results were just as close, Norman received 17,823 votes and Pope 17,602 — less than one percent difference.

“According to the SEC if there is less than 1 percent between the two there is an automatic recount ordered at certification. This will be done by the State Election Commission at their certification Friday at 10,” said Shanna Proctor, director of Newberry County Voter Registration and Elections.

In the Newberry County side of the Fifth Congressional District, 1,139 residents voted with Norman receiving 669 of those votes and Pope 463. The Fairview precinct reported the most votes with 72, and Maybinton reporting the least with 0.

“Today’s canvass and official certification confirmed that Ralph Norman is the GOP nominee,” Norman campaign spokesman R.J. May III stated in a press release sent out Thursday. “We of course respect Mr. Pope’s decision to allow the process to play out and the state required mandatory recount. We fully expect that tomorrow morning’s review will indeed confirm the results of the first two counts.”

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.