Columbia, SC -South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Jaime Harrison issued the following statement following Secretary Hillary Clinton’s remarks today on restoring the Voting Rights Act.
“The right to vote is a fundamental part of our democracy and the South Carolina Democratic Party commends Secretary Clinton for her speech today on voting rights. Clinton’s call for swift action to restore the Voting Rights Act is exactly what South Carolina and the United States have a fundamental right to expect. National standards such as a minimum of 20 days of early voting and making voting available on the weekends will inevitably lead to higher turnout and greater participation by Americans in our electoral process.
Meanwhile, South Carolina Republican leaders, including Governor Haley and Republican members of the state legislature and our Congressional delegation, have supported stricter voter ID laws and voter suppression tactics in South Carolina. These Republican leaders have praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to gut the Voting Rights Act. It is shameful that the Republicans in our federal delegation led by Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott have failed to join the bipartisan coalitions fighting to reinstate important voting rights protections. It is hard to understand that in a nation that prides itself on championing democracy across the world, we have Republican leaders in South Carolina who are actively working to make it harder for South Carolinians to vote instead of making it easier for legitimately registered voters to exercise their right to vote.”
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