By admin 
Incumbent state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Julie Zimmerman are competing to represent the District 71 in the South Carolina state House.
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District 71
Ballentine, 55, lives in Chapin. He is the Regional Vice President at New America Funding and has served in the South Carolina State House since 2005.
Zimmerman, 51, is a licensed therapist living in Irmo.
Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting is open Oct. 19 through Oct. 31, Monday through Saturday.
The State sent questions to Ballentine and Zimmerman about their views on topics like artificial intelligence and tax reform. Both candidates responded in emails. Responses were edited for length, clarity and style.
Why should people in your district vote for you?
Ballentine: My service to the Chapin, Dutch Fork and Irmo community has always been rooted in the principle of “people, not politics.” I’m proud of my consistent, conservative record of fighting for a better quality of life here at home. I’ve been called one of the hardest working legislators in the State House, and I work with Republicans and Democrats to find common-sense, real-life solutions to the affordability, infrastructure and education challenges we face, locally and across the state.
Zimmerman: People in House District 71 should vote for me because I know and love this community, and I’m already doing the work to make it stronger. I’m running to give voters a choice and bring common-sense, compassionate, and community-driven leadership to the State House.
I’m a lifelong South Carolinian and have called Irmo home for nearly 25 years. As a licensed therapist, mom, Emerge graduate, Palmetto Leadership Academy graduate and inaugural Heart of Irmo Award recipient, I bring professional experience and a deep personal connection to the people I hope to represent. My work and life have taught me to listen, find common ground, solve problems and treat people with compassion and respect.
I want to bring that same approach to Columbia and focus on the issues that affect families every day: the rising cost of living, strong public schools, accessible mental healthcare and healthcare, responsible growth, protecting our land and water and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
I’m not running to be a career politician. I’m running to be a new voice for House District 71, to tackle real problems and work toward practical solutions that make our community stronger for everyone.
How should the General Assembly approach tax reform in the state?
Ballentine: The General Assembly should always put South Carolina families first when it comes to tax reform. Every dollar we collect comes form hardworking South Carolinians, and my goal is to keep more of it in their pockets while still funding the services we all depend on. I’m proud to have voted to eliminate the sales tax on groceries and pass the largest income tax cut in state history, and I recently helped lower taxes on homes for our senior citizens.
Zimmerman: I believe tax reform should be fair, transparent and fiscally responsible. South Carolinians deserve a tax system that provides meaningful relief to working families facing rising costs while protecting the revenue needed for quality public schools, healthcare, roads, public safety and conservation.
I believe we can provide responsible tax relief while strengthening the foundation of our state. My approach is to make thoughtful decisions, respect taxpayer dollars and invest in a stronger future for South Carolina.
How would you want South Carolina to regulate the growth of new data centers?
Ballentine: South Carolina needs proper regulations on data centers, and the people who live near them deserve a real voice. They can bring jobs and investments, but families shouldn’t be stuck with the bill. I’ve spent years fighting for South Carolina ratepayers, including my work on the House investigation of the SCANA nuclear failure, and I want any rules to protect the power bills of families in our community.
Zimmerman: I believe South Carolina needs a moratorium on new data center approvals until we establish responsible regulation.
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Supporters say data centers will bring investment and jobs, but too often, the reality falls short of the promise. Communities should not bear the costs while corporations reap the benefits.
Before approving new data centers, we need thorough environmental, health and infrastructure impact studies, strong protections for water and natural resources, ratepayer protections and meaningful community input.
How should population and economic growth be managed in the state and in your district?
Ballentine: South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states because of the low-tax policies we continue to fight for in Columbia. Some communities grow faster than others, and I believe local county, city and town leaders should make the decisions that are best for their communities. Chapin, Dutch Fork and Irmo know what works for us, and we should have a real say in how our area grows.
Zimmerman: South Carolina is the fastest-growing state in the country. As a native South Carolinian and resident of House District 71 for nearly 25 years, I’ve seen firsthand how that growth is changing our communities. Responsible growth has been one of my top priorities since I decided to run to represent House District 71 and one of the biggest concerns I’ve heard from the voters I’ve talked with.
People are seeing longer commutes, more traffic, pressure on schools and essential services and rising costs. I want to focus on finding solutions and investing in the infrastructure, transportation, schools and essential services our growing communities need. We also need to protect our water and natural resources and ensure transparency and community input as our communities grow.
Our economy should grow in ways that create opportunity for South Carolinians and strengthen our local communities. That means supporting small businesses and helping entrepreneurs succeed. I’ve heard directly from small-business owners in House District 71 about the need for tax relief to help them keep their businesses going.
As a legislator, I will be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, making common-sense, compassionate and community-driven decisions that help House District 71 grow responsibly while protecting what makes it home.
What guardrails, if any, would you like to place on emerging technologies, like Flock cameras, AI and social media?
Ballentine: Technology is moving faster than the law, and the General Assembly has to make sure our guardrails keep up. Whether it’s Flock cameras, AI or social media, my priorities are protecting people’s privacy and guarding against abuse. I’m a strong supporter of law enforcement, and I’m proud to be endorsed by members of law enforcement in both Richland and Lexington counties. But I didn’t support the Town of Irmo’s drone and Flock camera request in this year’s budget because I had questions about how that data is used and protected.
We need to understand the privacy impacts before we move forward. Protecting kids has to be part of this too, which is why I supported the law we passed earlier this year requiring social media companies to build in real protections for children.
Zimmerman: Technology is changing quickly, and South Carolina needs to make sure our laws keep up. We need common-sense guardrails that provide transparency, accountability and meaningful protections for South Carolinians.
When it comes to technologies like Flock cameras, we need clear limits on how data is collected, stored, shared and accessed. Law enforcement should have a legitimate reason to access that information, and communities deserve to know where these systems are being used and who has access to the data.
AI and data centers go hand in hand, and South Carolina needs to be thoughtful about how we manage that growth. AI must be kept in check with responsible oversight, transparency and accountability. We can embrace innovation without putting South Carolina families, workers and natural resources at risk.
As a therapist, I understand that what happens online can have real consequences for our mental health and well-being. Social media can connect us, but we also need reasonable guardrails to protect privacy, reduce harmful content and exploitation and increase transparency around how algorithms influence what we see. Companies should be accountable for how their platforms affect users, while parents and individuals should have meaningful tools and information to make informed choices.
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Responses are listed alphabetically by candidate last name.