By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer  

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Posted Jan. 26, 2007) – I’ve done my own unofficial polling of Black voters today, only to discover, no one candidate has a lock on their vote.   It won’t be easy for folks doing exit polling to identify a clear victor before the votes are counted.

The predicted heavy turnout was evident at the Greenville Community Center in the predominately African-American in northeast section of Columbia. 

Eleanor Dalton, a volunteer coordinator for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, told me, “Everybody’s voting for somebody.”  Dalton was outside of the Greenville Center working with volunteers pushing pamphlets to voters on their way to the polls.

Booker T. Smith, a retired nurse, said he’s supporting Sen. Barack Obama because of his campaign theme of unity.  “I like the way he talks – we need a change, if Hillary get’s in Bill is going to be running the White House.”

My unscientific poll found some folks were disappointed there was so much talk about race.  “This competition has widened our political conscience for all ages and races,” Dalton said.

Arlene Sinkler, a customer service worker, is thinking about the candidate than can defeat the Republican challenger.  Sinkler is supporting Sen. Hillary Clinton, (D-N.Y.).  “I feel she’ll stick to the issues because Republican will keep a lot of confusion going, and she’ll know how to stay focused.”

The polls will close at seven tonight, stay tuned for the results.