The Supreme Court of South Carolina

George Tempel, Plaintiff-Respondent,

v.

South Carolina State Election Commission (Marci Andino, as Executive Director & Chris Whitmire as Director of Public Information and Training); South Carolina Republican Party (Matt Moore as Executive Director & Chad Connolly, as Chairman); Charleston County Republican Party (Lin Bennett as Chairman); Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration (Joseph L. Debney as Dirctor & Dan Martin as Chairman); Paul Thurmond, Defendants,

Of whom Paul Thurmond is the Petitioner.

Paul Thurmond, Third-Party Plaintiff-Petitioner,

v.

South Carolina State Election Commission (Marci Andino, as Executive Director & Chris Whitmire as Director of Public Information and Training); South Carolina Democratic Party (Amanda Loveday, as Executive Director, and Dick Harpootlian, as Chairman); Charleston County Democratic Party (Richard Hricik, as Chairman); Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration (Joseph L. Debney, as Director, and Dan Martin, as Chairman); and Paul E. Tinkler, Third-PartyDefendants-Respondents.

Appellate Case No. 2012-212197

ORDER

This matter is currently before the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas.  Petitioner asks this Court to assume jurisdiction of the matter.  Respondent Tempel has filed a return in opposition to the petition for original jurisdiction.  After full consideration of the petition by all members of this Court, the petition is denied, as the matter can be determined in the circuit court in the first instance without material prejudice to the rights of the parties.  Rule 245(a), SCACR.

Columbia, South Carolina
June 11, 2012