greenville sc primary voting resources
So here's the thing...
There are a lot of things that I can complain about as Greenville grows and changes; like not enough safe sidewalks, small businesses being priced out of downtown, more traffic congestion, the lack of affordable housing options and more. And as one resident and business owner, I can't solve all these issues on my own, but I can make sure that I vote (and encourage others to vote) for leaders who have empathy and solutions for the problems facing our neighborhoods.
Historically, less than 10% of registered voters show up to local elections, so this is my attempt to raise that statistic, because voting is important and easy! I hope this guide can be a starting point for you to learn about our local leaders and to be an educated voter during this election cycle.
Step One: Check your voters registration
Visit SCVotes.gov to double check your voters registration (make sure your registration address is correct and view your polling location).
If you or a friend need to register to vote, complete the easy registration on SCVotes.gov/start. Online registration closes on May 11th!
Step Two: View your sample ballot
Click to find your sample ballot. Here you can see different open positions and the candidates that will be on your ballot.
In South Carolina, you can choose to vote in the Democratic or the Republican primary election. You may pick either, but can only vote in one. In many instances there may be only candidates one political party running. For example, in many South Carolina positions, there may be 4 Republicans and 0 Democrats in the election. Therefore, whoever wins the primary election in June (of the 4 Republicans) will be the only option on the ballot in November and therefore the elected representative. This is one of the many reasons why primary elections are important and with historically low voter turnout, we have an opportunity to impact who represents our communities on a local, state and national level.
Some of the state primary open positions and their responsibilities:
US House Representatives - responsible for representing the interests of their constituents, crafting national policies, overseeing the executive branch, and ensuring that government operates in the best interests of the American people
State House Representatives - crucial role in the state legislative process, representing the interests of their constituents, crafting state policies, overseeing state agencies, and ensuring that state government operates in the best interests of South Carolinians
State Senate - responsible in the legislative process, representing the interests of their constituents, crafting state policies, overseeing state agencies, and ensuring that state government operates in the best interests of South Carolinians
Sheriff - responsibilities include maintaining public safety, enforcing the law, and overseeing various aspects of law enforcement
Clerk of Court - responsible for overseeing the administrative operations of the court system including court proceedings and record keeping
Coroner - responsible for determining the cause and manner of death in cases where the circumstances are suspicious, unexpected, or otherwise require investigation
Step Three: Learn about the candidates
These are some resources where you can learn about the candidates. Personally I think it's always helpful to listen to their voices and hear how they answer questions.
Podcasts:
Simple Civics: Greenville County
Read:
If you don't know about the scandals involving some of the elected officials running for re-election, this news article has a good summary. On a personal note: I do not think that politicians should or could ever be perfect people. However, with their positions of power, I do think we need to hold them to a high moral standard.
This news article lists out all the positions up for election.
And of course, google searches are helpful too.
As more interviews, debates and articles are shared, we will update this section with more resources!
Step Four: Go vote!
Early voting is available Tuesday, May 28th - June 7th, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m at McAllister Square (225 S. Pleasantburg Drive), Mt. Pleasant Community Center (710 S. Fairfield Road), Travelers Rest Council Chambers (125 Trailblazer Park) and more.
Early voting is open to everyone and anyone who is registered to vote can visit any of the early voting polling locations!
Election day is Tuesday June 11th and most polling locations are open 7am-7pm.
Together we can make the Upstate a better, more equitable and more sustainable place to live!