The Republican primary in South Carolina is this Saturday, and the Democratic primary is the following Saturday, January 26, 2008.

Dan from Aiken wants to know why the Republican and Democratic primaries are on different days.

The director of elections in Aiken County says the Republican and Democratic parties set the dates of the primaries, not the state of South Carolina.

And since there will be two primaries, it will cost tax payers an additional $800,000 to run both elections.

South Carolina is an open primary state, meaning that anyone, regardless of their party affiliation, may vote for any candidate, but they must choose to vote only in the Republican primary, or Democrat primary, not both.

Also, the deadline for voting absentee in person at your local voter registration office for the Republican primary is 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 18. The deadline for the Democrat primary is 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 25.

The deadline to obtain an absentee ballot via mail for the Republican primary has passed. But, Democrat primary voters have until 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 22 to return their mailed absentee ballot to their voter registration office.