CHAPIN, S.C. — Voters in Chapin are choosing a state representative this fall, as Republican Rep. Jay Kilmartin seeks another term in South Carolina House District 85 against Democratic challenger Steve Asbill. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and early voting is already underway, including at Chapin Town Hall at 157 NW Columbia Avenue.
District 85 is a Lexington County seat, and the Town of Chapin lists Kilmartin as the state representative for the area. Asbill says the district takes in neighborhoods in Irmo, Chapin and Lexington, and he says he grew up in communities across it.
Kilmartin, 61, owns a restaurant and cigar store and was first elected to the seat in 2022. He serves on the House Education and Public Works Committee and is part of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus. His challenger, a 36-year-old pharmacist, makes his home near Irmo.
Both candidates point to growth as the biggest issue facing the district. Kilmartin says fast growth paired with roads and other infrastructure that are years behind has created a crisis, and he wants a multi-year plan to catch up before anything else. He says state government should stick to core functions and stop funding special-interest requests, and he has questioned why tax dollars from Irmo and Chapin should pay for projects such as an orangutan exhibit at the Greenville Zoo.
Asbill wants a concurrency standard that would require large developments in Lexington County and across the state to show that roads, schools, utilities and emergency services can handle them before final approval, with developers paying their share of the cost. He also wants a yearly public accounting of how state tax money is spent, and he questions why drivers pay vehicle taxes every year rather than mostly at the time of purchase.
On data centers, Kilmartin says companies that come to South Carolina should produce and pay for their own electricity, and he has raised questions about their water use. Asbill favors a pause on new data center approvals until local governments adopt enforceable rules, and he says the facilities should disclose their water and power needs and not shift grid costs onto homeowners.
On technology, Kilmartin says he opposes mass surveillance of citizens and wants artificial intelligence to have a way to be shut off. Asbill says he supports police but wants clear limits on license plate cameras such as Flock, along with stronger control for residents over their personal data.
Early voting runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the South Carolina Election Commission. Voters may use any early voting center in their county and must bring a photo ID. Besides Chapin Town Hall, Lexington County centers include the county voter registration and elections office at 605 West Main Street in Lexington and Midlands Technical College at 7300 College Street in Irmo.
Kilmartin can be reached through his Columbia office at 320A Blatt Building, phone 803-212-6963, according to his State House member page.
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