Democrats aim to protect the integrity of elections amid pandemic
Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and South Carolina Democratic Party filed suit in the South Carolina Supreme Court seeking to expand absentee voting access ahead of the South Carolina primary election on June 9, 2020 and the November general election. The COVID-19 pandemic raises serious challenges for voters and poll workers, forcing South Carolinians into an unacceptable choice between personal health or participating in democracy.
The suit seeks to ensure all of South Carolina’s 3.3 million voters have the option to safely and securely exercise their constitutional right to vote by:
- Urging the South Carolina Supreme Court to determine and affirm that those who practice social distancing to avoid contracting or spreading COVID-19 qualify as “physically disabled person[s]” who are eligible to vote absentee;
- And urging the South Carolina Supreme Court to determine that COVID-19 severely threatens the administration of elections and every resident’s constitutional right to free and open elections.
By recognizing the threat COVID-19 poses to constitutionally protected elections, the State of South Carolina can prioritize the safety and wellbeing of South Carolinians without compromising the integrity of this election.
DCCC Chairwoman Rep. Cheri Bustos: “Our leaders should be using every available tool to ensure South Carolina voters don’t have to choose between protecting their health and participating in our democracy. We’ll keep fighting to ensure voters can safely and freely participate in our democracy during this time of uncertainty.”
South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson: “Every single elected official has a moral responsibility to protect citizens and a constitutional responsibility to make sure our Democracy does not falter. It is the height of recklessness to ask volunteers to risk their lives staffing polls and precincts when the Republicans controlling our government have the ability to take action and protect lives by eliminating the qualifications for absentee voting and transition to a mail-in voting program.”
Full Legal Brief Here: South Carolina COVID-19 Petition Complaint and Notice of Return
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