WACH Fox57
by Alyse Rhue
After months of legal battles, public pressure, and warnings of further federal litigation, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has fixed a long-standing issue that prevented thousands of eligible young voters from registering.
According to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU-SC, the DMV failed to comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which requires state motor vehicle agencies to offer voter registration services.
According to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU-SC, the DMV failed to comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which requires state motor vehicle agencies to offer voter registration services.
The agency refused to process voter registration applications for South Carolinians under the age of 18.
However, many were legally eligible to register if they turned 18 by the next general election.
The policy flaw in October 2024 started the ACLU of SC to file a lawsuit, ACLU-SC v. State Election Commission.
Despite legal arguments, a Richland County judge denied the ACLU’s request to register nearly 2,000 young voters in time for the 2024 general election.
In a renewed effort led by the SC NAACP and the League of Women Voters of SC, the organizations sent a letter warning the agencies not following the federal law.
The following day, the DMV responded, confirming it had updated its in-house software system, Phoenix, to capture and transmit voter registration information for individuals aged 16 and older.
The SC State Election Commission will determine eligibility and ensure young voters are added to the voter rolls when they qualify.
“This victory is a powerful reminder that voting rights are for all,” President of the South Carolina NAACP Brenda Murphy said.
“Our youth are not only the future — but they have also always been at the forefront of progress in this nation.”
While the ACLU of South Carolina celebrated the outcome, its leaders are frustrated over the state's resistance.
“I am proud of our advocacy and thankful to the DMV for agreeing to fix the system without additional litigation,” Legal Director of the ACLU of SC Allen Chaney said.
“I remain frustrated, however, that state officials fought so mightily against DMV fixing this issue sooner.”
The ACLU estimates that more than 17,000 young residents were denied voter registrations at the DMV in the 2024 election cycle alone.
Nearly 2,000 had indicated they wanted to register and likely believed they had but couldn't cast a ballot in a historic election year.
With the software change, young people aged 16 and up can register at the DMV.
Read the full article at the link above.
