SUNDAY SALES REFERENDUM WILD CARD IN COLUMBIA ELECTIONS

We’re less than a week away from two of the most hotly contested city council elections Columbia has held in a while. If that sentence put you to sleep, then wake up because there is quite a bit up for grabs – like drinking on Sunday.

Although few people pay attention to city council, the at-large seat actually represents a larger district than any other non-federal elected post in South Carolina. In that race, incumbent Daniel Rickenmann has a fight on his hands from a trio of challengers, most notably Cameron Runyan. And sources are telling me that, because of Rickenmann’s creation of an ordinance that gives a separate set of (better) rights to gays and transgendereds as well as his nearly $6 million boondoggle, Runyan actually has a very good chance of pulling off a huge upset win.

In the third district race, once-heavily-favored Brian Boyer could very well lose to opponent Belinda Gergel after he whooped up a house guest during a 3 a.m. fight earlier this month.

But there’s a wild card in these races: Blue laws. A referendum to allow retail beer and wine sales Sundays in Columbia will be on the ballot, and there are expected to be a number of folks who will turn out on that alone.

The result will likely favor Rickenmann as an incumbent, but how much remains to be seen. With relatively low name ID and few accomplishments during his first four year term, it’s quite possible that many of the “beer voters” will choose the candidate with the better name.

Not only will the beer vote impact the two candidates, but it could also mark a major success for the repeal of blue laws in South Carolina. Whether you think that’s a good thing or not…