Every Vote Counts!
With the November 2006 general elections still a topic of discussion and debate, the 2008 presidential election is quickly becoming the focus of the media. Presidential candidates from both parties are planning early visits to South Carolina to gain support in SC’s presidential primaries in 2008, which will be the first presidential contests in the South for both parties.
Recent topics of discussion at the annual The South Carolina Association of Registration and Election Officials (S.C.A.R.E.) held in North Myrtle Beach, sponsored by the SC Association of Counties, included legislative priorities promoting the efficiency of general elections and the voter process in SC. I, along with other legislators, participated in a question and answer panel fielding questions from election and registration commissioners. Many other issues were discussed during the weekend conference, such as paper trails on electronic voting machines, voter registration and voter participation concerns. Some of the legislative priorities include:
Allow early voting in South Carolina. Satellite polling locations will be optional for each county. Early voting would begin approximately 2 weeks prior to an election and would end at 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the election. Voting by mail would be restricted to those electors who qualify for absentee voting. Procedures would be the same as we currently use for walk-in absentee voters except no application would be needed. The elector’s registration number would be keyed in the voting machine.
This would allow voters to vote early in satellite polls located in strategic areas within the county without having to go to the voter registration office in Georgetown. House and Senate bills have introduced to create a pilot program for this concept.
Continue to support increases in poll worker pay due to increased technical and procedural demands placed on poll workers.
The state increased the amount paid to poll workers from $50.00 to $60.00 per day, many of whom work 12-14 hours on election day and are required to attend training prior to the election. County government may also supplement poll worker pay.
Deletion of the legal requirement that a witness’s signature be required on an absentee ballot envelope.
Absentee ballots are not counted if there is no witness signature on the ballot envelope even though voter qualifications have been verified. In the November 2006 election over 400 absentee ballots were not counted because the witness signature was missing even though there is no verification required for witnesses. Legislation has been introduced to address this issue. Previous attempts to pass similar legislation have failed.
Amend the SC Code of Law to allow any registered voter in South Carolina to serve as a poll worker in any county in South Carolina.
Recruiting poll workers has become increasingly difficult and a poll worker can only work within the county in which they reside. This measure would allow trained poll workers to cross county lines to work on election day.
Uniform election dates for all municipalities. This date would be the first Tuesday after the first Monday, in November of odd numbered years.
Our local municipal elections are currently held during odd numbered years.
Opposition to reinstating registration by party in South Carolina.
Voters are not registered by political party in South Carolina. On primary election day, the voter may choose a political party with whom to participate. Once a party choice is made, for that primary election, only one ballot may be voted. The primary is only a nomination process for a political party; whereas the general election a voter may split the ticket among various political parties and candidates of their choice.
The most important issue on any election day is that every qualified voter is given an opportunity to vote and that every vote is counted. South Carolina has historically been in the forefront of voting rights issues and political participation. 2008 will be no exception. If you have any questions regarding your voter registration status, please do not hesitate to contact the Georgetown County Registration and Elections Office located at 303 Hazard Street in Georgetown (843-545-3339), or contact the SC State Election Commission at http://www.state.sc.us/scsec/us.html.
Recent topics of discussion at the annual The South Carolina Association of Registration and Election Officials (S.C.A.R.E.) held in North Myrtle Beach, sponsored by the SC Association of Counties, included legislative priorities promoting the efficiency of general elections and the voter process in SC. I, along with other legislators, participated in a question and answer panel fielding questions from election and registration commissioners. Many other issues were discussed during the weekend conference, such as paper trails on electronic voting machines, voter registration and voter participation concerns. Some of the legislative priorities include:
Allow early voting in South Carolina. Satellite polling locations will be optional for each county. Early voting would begin approximately 2 weeks prior to an election and would end at 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the election. Voting by mail would be restricted to those electors who qualify for absentee voting. Procedures would be the same as we currently use for walk-in absentee voters except no application would be needed. The elector’s registration number would be keyed in the voting machine.
This would allow voters to vote early in satellite polls located in strategic areas within the county without having to go to the voter registration office in Georgetown. House and Senate bills have introduced to create a pilot program for this concept.
Continue to support increases in poll worker pay due to increased technical and procedural demands placed on poll workers.
The state increased the amount paid to poll workers from $50.00 to $60.00 per day, many of whom work 12-14 hours on election day and are required to attend training prior to the election. County government may also supplement poll worker pay.
Deletion of the legal requirement that a witness’s signature be required on an absentee ballot envelope.
Absentee ballots are not counted if there is no witness signature on the ballot envelope even though voter qualifications have been verified. In the November 2006 election over 400 absentee ballots were not counted because the witness signature was missing even though there is no verification required for witnesses. Legislation has been introduced to address this issue. Previous attempts to pass similar legislation have failed.
Amend the SC Code of Law to allow any registered voter in South Carolina to serve as a poll worker in any county in South Carolina.
Recruiting poll workers has become increasingly difficult and a poll worker can only work within the county in which they reside. This measure would allow trained poll workers to cross county lines to work on election day.
Uniform election dates for all municipalities. This date would be the first Tuesday after the first Monday, in November of odd numbered years.
Our local municipal elections are currently held during odd numbered years.
Opposition to reinstating registration by party in South Carolina.
Voters are not registered by political party in South Carolina. On primary election day, the voter may choose a political party with whom to participate. Once a party choice is made, for that primary election, only one ballot may be voted. The primary is only a nomination process for a political party; whereas the general election a voter may split the ticket among various political parties and candidates of their choice.
The most important issue on any election day is that every qualified voter is given an opportunity to vote and that every vote is counted. South Carolina has historically been in the forefront of voting rights issues and political participation. 2008 will be no exception. If you have any questions regarding your voter registration status, please do not hesitate to contact the Georgetown County Registration and Elections Office located at 303 Hazard Street in Georgetown (843-545-3339), or contact the SC State Election Commission at http://www.state.sc.us/scsec/us.html.
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