The general election is only seven months away and the growing uncertainties around COVID-19 almost guarantee that the threat of the virus will not have diminished by then. This virus isn’t just a threat to public health and our economy, though, but also to our democracy.
If our reality regarding COVID-19 does not significantly change in the coming months, simply performing one’s civic duty in person on November 3rd will be dangerous game of chance. That is why state Democratic leaders have introduced a proposal to address this concern.
Representatives Beth Bernstein and Leon Stavrinakis, as well as Senator Thomas McElveen, have formally requested the implementation of a vote-by-mail system for the November election, as announced by Representative Bernstein via Twitter on Wednesday.
“In order to protect the most sacred institution in our democracy – voting, it would be prudent that we, as a state, start considering vote-by-mail for the November general election as, under normal circumstances, more people would tend to exercise their right to vote in this presidential year,” the request states. “Vote-by-mail is a time-tested, reliable way to exercise one’s right to vote especially in times of national emergency.”
Presently, South Carolina allows absentee voting through mail for the month preceding an election but only for qualifying populations, like Members of the Armed Forces or students who are unable to vote in-person in their county of residence while away at school, per SC Votes.
These required qualifications leave out a considerable amount of South Carolinians who – with the absence of mandated vote-by-mail – may have to choose between exercising their right to vote or protecting the health of themselves and their loved ones come November.
This vote-by-mail proposal by South Carolina Democrats would protect the sanctity of the state’s election while ensuring that no resident is risking their health on November 3rd. As Representative Bernstein tweeted, “It’s not a partisan issue. It affects us all.”