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CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Turnout has remained light across South Carolina as voters cast ballots in primary elections that became problematic when hundreds of candidates were ordered off ballots.

South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said Tuesday he's gotten consistent reports of light voter appearances at precincts.

In Mount Pleasant, 21 voters cast their ballots by midmorning at a precinct where poll manager Linda Ambrose said she hoped for a 5 percent turnout. At one precinct in Columbia with 2,000 voters, only 26 had logged in by midmorning.

Whitmire says candidates who were thrown off ballots have been collecting signatures near some precincts to appear on ballots in November. He says he's had no reports that process has caused any problems.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)