Today the SC Senate gave third reading to a much-amended version of H. 4919, which would provide two weeks of no-excuse early voting and related changes in absentee voting. This version also addresses aspects of statewide election administration. This discussion will be lengthy, but these important and complex issues require our attention, even though – as we will discuss – it is quite possible that this entire bill will die next week.

The Sun Times

Developers have made contributions to Horry County Council candidates well over the state’s $1,000-per-candidate-per-election-cycle limit, according to newly released campaign finance reports. “It’s inverting the sense of the law in the sense that no one entity should have undue influence in a campaign,” said Lynn Teague of the South Carolina League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters strongly supports the introduction of no-excuse early voting in South Carolina. In-person early voting has been shown not to provide an advantage to any political party.

The proposed bill does not include two extremely important provisions. The certification deadline for South Carolina must be extended, commonly 14 days in other states. South Carolina should also provide "notice and cure" for absentee ballots, so that voters are notified if their ballot is found defective. This would allow qualified electors to fulfill their civic responsibility.

How do we BUILD POWER in our approach to our League work with a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion? We must be intentional in how a program, a process, a product, is perceived by a variety of communities, voices, and perspectives, and what, if any, barriers may exist that are preventing it from being equitable or inclusive of everyone.