Early voting turnout breaks records across South Carolina

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – In line with the South Carolina Election Fee, over 483,000 early voting ballots and 51,000 absentee ballots have been returned by the tip of Thursday, bringing the overall of ballots solid earlier than election day to over 489,000.

The Election Fee stated though early voting was not applied till Could of this yr, the early voter turnout for the Normal Election has quadrupled the quantity we noticed within the June Primaries, with two days of early voting left to report.

At an early voting location in West Ashley, many citizens stated they selected to vote early as a result of it’s simpler and quicker. When requested which points have been most vital to them, abortion rights and schooling insurance policies have been amongst a number of the most typical responses.

“I don’t just like the insurance policies which have been put in place, taking energy away from the dad and mom. I wish to change that, and I would like dad and mom to have the ability to make choices on what kids are allowed to study in class,” Buck Watkins, an early voter, stated.

Some voters gave the impression to be impassioned a couple of girl’s proper to decide on.

“Let’s check out what ladies are going by means of. You’re saying that they don’t have a alternative of their our bodies. That’s not true,” Jeffrey Alexander, one other early voter, stated.

Nonetheless, everybody, no matter political ideologies, stated the method was fast and painless.

Kendra Stewart, a Professor of Political Science on the Faculty of Charleston, spoke about why she thinks early voting numbers are so excessive this yr.

She stated the opening up of early voting has elevated accessibility, making it simpler and extra handy to vote. She additionally stated points that individuals really feel are private to them, like ladies’s rights, gun management, and academic insurance policies, encourage them to get out solid their ballots.

“These points particularly are ones that actually make individuals excited, or that make them prepared to take day out of their day to attempt to make a distinction,” Stewart stated.

The final day for early voting is Saturday. For extra details about the best way to discover the polling location closest to you, click on right here.

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