Joint assembly elects judges across South Carolina courts; several races decided by roll call

The Joint Assembly convened Feb. 19 to elect judges nominated by the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, filling seats on the South Carolina Court of Appeals, circuit courts, family courts and the Administrative Law Court.

The votes, called and recorded by the reading clerk, produced numerous acclamations and several contested ballots. Notable contested outcomes included Christopher Dolan Taylor’s election to the Fifth Judicial Circuit seat after a joint ballot, Thomas J. Rhodes’ election after a roll-call tally, and Jane H. Merrill’s victory in a second ballot for Circuit Court at-large seat 7. Samuel L. Johnson was elected to the Administrative Law Court after a recorded roll-call vote.

Why this matters: These elections fill judicial vacancies across multiple levels of South Carolina’s court system and will affect caseload assignments and judicial benches across the state. Several results were by acclamation, signaling consensus on many nominees; the contested races show where the assembly divided and required formal balloting.

Votes at a glance: the assembly recorded the following outcomes (office; nominee; outcome; vote tally if recorded) Christie F. Curtis — Court of Appeals, Seat 2; elected by acclamation. John D. Gathers — Court of Appeals, Seat 3; elected by acclamation. Paula H. Thomas — Court of Appeals, Seat 4; elected by acclamation. Eugene P. Warr Jr. — Circuit Court, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Seat 2; elected by acclamation. Christopher Dolan Taylor — Circuit Court, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1; elected (112 votes to 36 for William K. Witherspoon, grand total 148; 75 needed). J. Durham Cole Jr. — Circuit Court, Seventh…