Carolina for All is excited to announce our support of the SC Voter Access Bill (H3822), introduced by Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter. Eighty percent (80%) of Americans support voter rights, but at least 253 bills have been introduced recently in 43 states limiting voter access. In 2020, 1.3 million South Carolina citizens cast their votes using safe, secure absentee voting. H3822 would make permanent some 2020 COVID safety measures but also makes small changes to expand the laws to a place where they haven’t been before. If passed, the bill would:
· Allow same day voting when someone registers (up to 30 days before Election Day);
· Drop the requirement that those wishing to vote absentee (mail-in or in-person) have to give a reason;
· Allow ballots to be dropped into receptacles so a person doesn’t have to wait in line;
· Allow "affidavit cure", where voters can correct mistakes on mail-in ballots found by officials;
· Allow college ID as acceptable identification;
· Require the Department of Corrections provide inmates with information letting them know that they can vote as soon as they have served their time and completed any probation or parole;
· Finally, the oppressive requirement that mail-in ballots have to be witnessed by a second person (misplaced witness signatures have resulted in many ballots being thrown out) would be done away with
