South Carolina

South Carolina voting laws do nothing to try to make voting easier for its citizens. This session, South Carolina Democratic legislators introduced several pieces of legislation in the state that would make elections more accessible, but unfortunately, none of the bills progressed due to Republican opposition. 

Democratic lawmakers pushed for updating voting machines for election security purposes (H 3304), establishing same day registration (H 3040), create vote-by-mail (H 3170), provide for early voting (H 3266), establish automatic voter registration (S 566), require that individuals with felony convictions be notified of the restoration of their voting rights after their sentence is complete (H 3319), extend the time permitted for voters in the election booth (H 3597), expand the time period of voters to register (H 3031), and requiring the use of paper ballots (H 3616S 182). South Carolina voters deserve these measures that would have made voting fairer, freer, and more secure and we hope they will move forward in future sessions.

South Carolina Democrats also tried to establish an independent redistricting commission (S 254S 249H 3432H 3167H 3390) before the 2021 redistricting. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass so South Carolina voters are still at risk of being victims of gerrymandered maps for the next decade. 

Republican lawmakers attempted to make it harder for voters in highly populated areas to vote by eliminating straight ticket voting (H 3033). The bill did not advance this session.

South Carolina voting laws do nothing to try to make voting easier for its citizens. This session, South Carolina Democratic legislators introduced several pieces of legislation in the state that would make elections more accessible, but unfortunately, none of the bills progressed due to Republican opposition. 

Democratic lawmakers pushed for updating voting machines for election security purposes (H 3304), establishing same day registration (H 3040), create vote-by-mail (H 3170), provide for early voting (H 3266), establish automatic voter registration (S 566), require that individuals with felony convictions be notified of the restoration of their voting rights after their sentence is complete (H 3319), extend the time permitted for voters in the election booth (H 3597), expand the time period of voters to register (H 3031), and requiring the use of paper ballots (H 3616S 182). South Carolina voters deserve these measures that would have made voting fairer, freer, and more secure and we hope they will move forward in future sessions.

South Carolina Democrats also tried to establish an independent redistricting commission (S 254S 249H 3432H 3167H 3390) before the 2021 redistricting. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass so South Carolina voters are still at risk of being victims of gerrymandered maps for the next decade. 

Republican lawmakers attempted to make it harder for voters in highly populated areas to vote by eliminating straight ticket voting (H 3033). The bill did not advance this session.