In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, South Carolina has extended the voter registration deadline by eight days. The decision was announced during a virtual hearing on Friday, with Judge Daniel Coble presiding over the matter.
Voters now have until Oct. 14 to submit registration applications through various methods, including in-person, online and mail-in options.
The extension comes after the South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) filed a lawsuit, arguing that the hurricane’s impact had severely hindered residents’ ability to register. “Many residents remain without power and internet and numerous government offices—including those responsible for voter registration—are closed due to the storm’s impact,” the party said in a statement.
Several county voter registration offices, including those in McCormick, Laurens and Edgefield, were closed for multiple days as a result of the storm.
“Our goal is simple: to ensure that every citizen in South Carolina has the opportunity to register and exercise their right to vote, regardless of their politics, in the face of challenges caused by Hurricane Helene,” SCDP Chair Christale Spain declared.
”Protecting the right to vote is a fundamental part of our democracy. We are asking for this extension so that no South Carolinian is left behind during these difficult times and so that everyone has the chance to make their voices heard in the upcoming election.”
This is not the first time the state has granted such an extension. A similar move was made in 2018 in response to Hurricane Florence.
State Democratic Party officials claim the attorney general and governor—both Republicans—did not take the initiative to address the issue directly, leaving the courts to provide relief through the extended deadline.
“The state party had little choice but to go to court to ask for an extension because neither the attorney general nor Governor [Henry] McMaster, who was involved in the effort in 2018 to extend the deadline, did so this year,” SCDP Executive Director Jay Parmley remarked, before controversially adding that “I guess the only difference was that Alan Wilson’s and Henry McMaster‘s names were on the ballot in 2018, and they are not this year. I’m still surprised that neither of our state’s highest elected officials has done anything to extend the voter registration deadline in 2024.”
“We are pleased the voter registration deadline has been extended,” Spain concluded. “This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s an issue of the public good and ensuring the right to vote is protected for everyone.”
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