Staff reports | Young voters interviewed this week in Charleston County said they wanted political candidates to solve social problems, according to a series of recent man-on-the-street interviews ahead of the Nov. 8 elections.
Voters interviewed under the age of 30 said they would support candidates who seemed most likely to defend access to abortion, social welfare programs and minority rights, and that voting based on party affiliation alone was an outdated mindset.
The majority of people who spoke to City Paper wanted to share opinions on issues. But when asked about specific candidates, “I have to do some research” was the overwhelming response. Men, in particular, were not as interested in sharing their views.
For example, 24-year old Jessica Wenclawiak of Charleston is a graduate student studying marine biology at the College of Charleston. She said she wished the bipartisan dichotomy in the country was not such an ingrained feature of the American political system.
“I think the control of the Senate and the House is really important, so I want to vote to influence that,” Wenclawiak told Charleston City Paper. “The environment [and] climate change are really important to me — making sure that there’s proper infrastructure to deal with climate change and flooding that’s going to happen in the future is really important for me.”
In other recent news:
Cunningham, McMaster debate on abortion, age. In Wednesday’s night only gubernatorial debate between Gov. Henry McMaster and Democratic opponent Joe Cunningham, the two argued over same-sex marriage, abortion, gun laws, marijuana and more. McMaster stood firm on his position against same-sex marriage. Cunningham replied: “I don’t care who you are or who you love. I don’t think it’s government’s role to be getting in the middle of that.”
Lots of GOP election deniers are in South. Here’s what a Washington Post analysis said about Republican candidates for key statewide jobs and Congress in South Carolina: “Most Republican candidates in the South have denied the 2020 election results.”= In South Carolina, the story mentions six white incumbents.
Early voting opened with a bang. South Carolina’s first day of early voting began Monday as a record 40,000 voters cast ballots — twice of what occurred on the first day of early voting in June. The day started with no problems at the polls, but as more people flocked to a state website to check voting locations and sample ballots, the site crashed.
S.C. House chairman back from rehab, campaigns for re-election. House Judiciary Chairman Chris Murphy has returned from six weeks in rehab and said he feels “100% fine.” Amid his return, he’s campaigning for re-election, stating that if re-elected, he will take an additional role in the Statehouse to help those fighting addiction.
South Carolina is the deadliest state to drive in. Recent studies from WalletHub revealed that South Carolina has the most Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles of Travel out of all 50 states.
Get your flu shot — virus is surging, officials say. Hospitals across the state are seeing an influx of flu patients. Meanwhile, other virus outbreaks like respiratory issues among young children and the omicron Covid-19 variant still rage on. Health officials are urging people to get flu shots to ensure they don’t get the illness. Some worry of a further surge during Halloween weekend among children.
Covid Update: New cases in S.C. hover around 3,000 per week. For the second week in a row, newly reported Covid cases have been about 3,000 over the last week. Seven people died, DHEC reported.
UofSC back to USC. The University of South Carolina is officially reverting back to its old acronym of “USC,” the school announced Wednesday. The update will take full effect starting in January.
HALLOWEEN: The monsters that may lurk around Charleston. In this news feature story, you’ll learn how Charleston is a modern, bustling city, but beyond the cafes and markets, strange things are lurking in the city’s darker corners — monsters!
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!