State police probe potential voting irregularities

At Seneca’s request, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has begun investigating whether as many as four people voted illegally in last month’s city election. The election that decided four city council seats is in the books and its results have been certified. But Greg Dietterick, city administrator, says there’s a larger principle involved. And that is, he explains, to assure that if any of those four voters cast ballots illegally that they not be allowed to vote again in future city elections. Dietterick says the idea that as many as four people voted illegally originated with a claim by candidate Ernest Riley that that Riley knew of at least two people who voted did not in fact live within the corporate limits. Riley, an incumbent, lost his seat in the March election by three votes.