SC lawmakers OK absentee voting expansion in June 9 primary out of COVID-19 fears
Any South Carolinian registered to vote in the upcoming June 9 primary who feared voting in-person due to the COVID-19 outbreak will be able to request an absentee ballot from the State Election Commission.
State lawmakers on Tuesday fast-tracked legislation allowing registered primary voters to request an absentee ballot while the state is under an emergency order.
The legislation — which Gov. Henry McMaster will sign, his spokesman said — sunsets on July 1, meaning it will not apply to the November general election.
State Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said Tuesday that South Carolina voters were likely already asking for an absentee ballot for unrelated reasons than being concerned over catching the coronavirus. The State Election Commission does not police voters, for instance asking for a doctor’s note or airlines receipts to check if they traveled.
“Quite frankly, people were probably doing it,” Hutto said.
The House and Senate voted on the expansion just hours after the South Carolina Supreme Court heard virtual arguments Tuesday from Democrats, who because of the virus outbreak are asking that the court allow any South Carolina voter who requests an absentee ballot get one, and Republicans who oppose that expanded request.
Primary and runoff turnout in South Carolina is historically low.
But State House leaders had faced pressure from state election officials, colleagues and the courts to expand absentee voting out of COVID-19 concerns. Particularly, state and county election officials voiced worry over the number, in some cases hundreds, of poll workers — many of whom are 65 years and older and more vulnerable to catching the disease — who told election officials they do not plan to work for the primary.
Because of those concerns, lawmakers sent McMaster legislation on Tuesday to spend up to $15 million to protect the health of voters and poll workers.
McMaster is expected to sign that separate legislation this week.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 7:03 PM.
