Presidential primaries, State Legislature voted to have the state pay

It's been somewhat of a pressure cooker situation for many county election offices. This is their first time handling two primaries back to back, as opposed to having them both on one day.
The upcoming presidential primaries are full of firsts. The primaries will be on Saturdays, a week apart. And the voters are paying for it.
The State Legislature voted last year to have the state pay for and run the primaries rather than the parties, at a cost of around $2 million. $800,000 of that is an additional cost because the primaries aren't on the same day, and that's causing headaches for county election offices. We should add though, the candidates were charged a filing fee so that will help deflect some of the costs.
All of the machines must be reset in the week between primaries, and the materials that go with them switched out.
"We've had to have our poll workers pick them up and bring them back this time because of the short length between the two elections. Normally we deliver them, but that takes four days, which we don't have," said Horry County Election Director Sandy Martin.
Precinct locations also presented a problem. Some already had prior events set, before the primary dates were nailed down.
And some voters don't want to or can't vote on those days at the polls. With 1,700 absentee ballots cast between the two parties already, Horry County election workers are hopping.
Still, everything seems to be cleared, calibrated and ready. "So far they've worked wonderful. We haven't had any problems," Martin said.
For those mailing in your ballot, all forms of absentee ballots must be in the hands of election workers by Friday before the primary or they will not count.