S.C. Democrats wonder if they can open all polls

State requires party to pay for Feb. 3 primary

South Carolina Democrats, responsible for paying for their own presidential primary in that state, disagree on whether the party will have enough money to open all 2,000 polling places on Feb. 3.

The primary, the first in the South, is seen by some as pivotal to the presidential aspirations of U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

Dick Harpootlian, a former chairman of the S.C. Dem-ocratic Party, said he doesn't think that it is necessary to open all the polls. "It's not necessary (because) the Republicans didn't (in 2000). It's obvious if you could, you would," he said.

Harpootlian, who was the party's chairman from 1998 until May, estimated that about 1,800 pol-ling places will be open, with those in traditionally Republican districts being consolidated.

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