OUR TURN: Protect S.C. elections during the pandemic

By Holly Ulbrich and Christe McCoy-Lawrence, special to Statehouse Report  |  COVID-19 has altered our lives in many ways and it is certain to affect how we vote. 

Protecting the right to vote is always essential but is even more crucial than ever in times of crisis like that we now face. The League believes we must have creative thinking to ensure safe and efficient elections. 

We have been encouraged by reports that the State Election Commission, the General Assembly’s leadership and the Governor’s Office are discussing ways to protect the public during our coming elections. Those efforts must continue and result in positive changes for coming elections. 

Experts have made it clear that there will be a continuing danger from COVID-19 until a vaccine is available, probably no earlier than next January. This is a serious concern because polling places bring significant numbers of people together in confined spaces. The only rational response from government is to take practical measures to ensure that 2020 elections are accessible and safe for voters.

Fortunately, South Carolina already enjoys online voter registration, which is a crucial contributor to safe participation in elections.  But there are other important problems to address. It has been reported that postponement of the June primaries is under consideration. While rescheduling primaries may be needed to give breathing room to plan for elections scheduled for the next several months, that is not a sufficient response to the challenges before us. We need election solutions that will help us to continue the orderly and safe practice of participating in our democracy in the primaries and to hold the November general election safely, efficiently and as currently scheduled. 

Effective solutions must avoid compelling citizens to assemble together in crowded spaces. The League of Women Voters of the United States, along with many other organizations, supports achieving this through the universal availability of voting by mail. However, states that have adopted universal mail-in voting have done so with years of preparation and at considerable initial cost. Gearing up for this in South Carolina for 2020 elections could be very challenging for both state and local election officials. Achievable options exist, however, that would expand in-person and by-mail absentee voting and could significantly increase the safety and efficiency of conducting elections during this pandemic. 

Whatever broad framework is adopted for 2020 elections, there are several very specific concerns that require solutions. The first is the time allowed to count the votes. Some increase in absentee voting was already expected in 2020. It is now likely that many more eligible citizens than ever before will choose to avoid crowds by employing existing excused absentee criteria to vote early by mail or in person.

A further expansion of absentee voting could add to that volume. Unfortunately, currently state law requires counting all absentee votes on election day. This would put great stress on election offices responsible for scanning tens of thousands of absentee ballots. It is imperative that the General Assembly pass S.867, a bill already approved by the Senate, to allow the scanning process to begin the day before election day for all elections. An amendment is needed to provide even more time to count the very heavy absentee vote that can be expected in November 2020.  

Another concern is the time allowed before certifying elections. South Carolina law currently requires certification within three days of an election, a very short interval even under ordinary circumstances. Extending this to as much as 30 days would be appropriate and would allow the State Election Commission and others to conduct their audits under less pressure. Other states allow up to 30 days for this process.

It is very important that our state and local officials are considering measures to improve the safety and efficiency of elections in this difficult time. Those discussions must lead to significant results, which will require legislative action and the support of the governor. All citizens should encourage those efforts and become educated about voting options. In a time of crisis, it is more important than ever for the voices of citizens to be heard in the most effective way open to us – our votes. 

Holley Ulbrich of Clemson and Christe McCoy-Lawrence of Holly Hill are co-presidents of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina.