Earlier this month the Executive Council of the South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) unanimously recommended against allowing Alan Ali to participate in the Democratic Primary for Charleston County Sheriff, and as such, the party declined to certify his candidacy as a Democrat.
The party said their decision was based largely on Ali's "own testimony in a meeting about a challenge to his candidacy, along with his prior admission to Party Leaders that he took steps toward running for Sheriff as a Republican in Dorchester County in this same election cycle."
In Ali's public statements following the decision, he did not claim to be a Democrat and declined to name a Democratic candidate he has supported. The party said Ali also chose to vote in Republican Primaries in five of the last six times he voted in a primary election.
“Throughout this process, Mr. Ali’s own words and actions were the driving force behind the decision the party reached," Charleston County Democratic Party Chair Sam Skardon said. "We have a right, and a responsibility to South Carolina voters, to ensure candidates running as Democrats, in a Democratic Primary, are actually Democrats.”
Today, the court upheld the SCDP’s right to make this decision.
"Today’s ruling affirms the Party’s right to determine who can access our primary ballot," South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said. "We take this responsibility seriously. Our process is both transparent and fair. We will continue to ensure candidates for the Democratic nomination are not attempting to mislead Democratic primary voters.”
The 38 other Democrats who filed in 29 Charleston County races were certified.
