The Network is working on a comprehensive package of legislative reforms that address voter registration and voting. The Network has made Electoral Reform a priority for the 2005-2006 legislative session.

No Excuse Early Voting.
Support S-301, Sen. Ford, no excuse absentee bill.
H-3464, Rep Clyburn. 5 day no excuse early voting and Rep James Smith 10 day early bill (H-3838) need to be amended to conform with the Senate bill.

New Voter Registration.
Legislation is needed to extend voter registration for a week prior to the Sunday before a general election (nine days prior to general election day, stopping two days before the election). Given existing technology, the current 30 day cut off for registering is not necessary. Citizens should be allowed to register and vote during the early voting period - one week prior to the Sunday before the general election. Same Day registrants must register and vote on the same day at voting centers established by the counties.

Legislation needs to be introduced that empowers County Election Commissions to allow New Voters to register and vote on the same day, during an Early Voting period one week prior to the Sunday before the general election.

These New Voters can register and vote only at county established voting places that have instant access to the state voter registration data base. The county voting places shall note on the state data base that the New Voter has voted.

Since the New Voters are instantly registered into the state data base, they can't go vote at another Early Voting site. The New Voter will not be on the precinct lists (compiled at the 30 day cut off) and in order to attempt to vote twice, they would have to vote a provisional ballot that can be checked against the New Voter list.

Early Voting Centers
Legislation needs to be introduced to empower the counties to establish Early Voting Locations one week prior to the Sunday before the general election where all duly registered citizens can vote.

New Voters can register and vote at locations that can instantly verify and record registration status. where citizens can register and vote at the same time.

High schools and libraries are be encouraged to provide Early Voting sites and will be compensated $200 a day by the state for maintaining voting sites for at least 6 hours a day.

High Schools as Early Voting Centers
Legislation needs to be introduced to allow polling places to be run by 16 -17- year-old's under the supervision of an adult poll manager (current statute limits under 18 poll workers to one per three adults).

High schools should be encouraged to provide Early Voting Centers and allow class credit for student participation. Schools will be compensated $200 a day by the state for maintaining voting sites for at least 6 hours a day.

Provisional ballots should count statewide.
Legislation needs to be introduced to count provisional ballots statewide. No eligible voter who comes to a polling place on Election Day should be denied the opportunity to cast a ballot, even if that voter mistakenly goes to the wrong precinct. SC only counts provisional ballots if they are cast in the correct precinct. Other states allow the ballot to be counted if the voter is registered anywhere in the state. Some allow the vote to be cast anywhere in the voter's county of residence.

If a voter cast a ballot at the wrong precinct, or the wrong county, it should be considered a "provisional ballot" that counts only for those offices for which the voter is eligible . These ballots are often referred to as "short ballots". With a short ballot, the voter gets to vote for President, US Senator and statewide offices.

Provisional ballots cast in the right county should allow the vote to count for county wide races (State Short Ballot and County Short Ballot). Legislation needs to be passed that allows provisional ballots cast by qualified voters to be counted regardless of where they vote.

ID Requirements.
Legislation needs to be supported to allow student photo ID's to be adequate identification for voting. (See H-3461 Rep Rutherford). (Also support H-3451 Rep Thompson. Add passports to accepted ID).

SC Voting Rights Act/Universal Registration.
Legislation needs to be introduced declaring that all citizens 18 years old, not prohibited by law, be guaranteed the right to vote. High School students in 10th grade shall fill our a form and get a post card when they turn 18 telling them where to vote.

The requirements of Motor Voter shall be state law and all appropriate state agencies shall insure that clients are registered to vote.

There is a mutual responsibility for citizens and the state to insure universal registration.

Voter education.
Legislation should be introduced requiring and funding a mailing to all voters, at least 21 days prior to the general election, that tells them where to vote and who they will be voting for.

Funding shall be appropriated for the State Election Commission to mail a card to every voter in the state voter registration data base 30 days before the general election, who did not vote in the last general election, or has had their precinct relocated (this would cost less than one million dollars).

Voter Services.
Legislation needs to be introduced that insures that every polling place has adequate telephone communication with their County Election Commission.

Elections Study Commission.
A joint resolution needs to be introduced to create a Elections Study Commission of legislators, election workers and citizens that would look into registration and election issues. The commission should look at barriers to voting, voting practices, how existing funding is being spent and propose ways to resolve the problems.

The State Election Commission spent over $2 million of our HAVA grant on advertising that had a questionable impact on voter participation. About the same cost of laptop computers with the entire state voter registration data base for each of the 2000 precincts in the state (which would allow voters to vote anywhere on the short ballot and not be provisional).

Proportionally award electoral votes.
Legislation needs to be supported that would award one electoral vote to the top presidential candidate in each of our state's six congressional districts (See S-176, Sen's. Leventis and Ford). The remaining two electoral votes would go to the overall vote winner.

Many believe it is time to end the safe state/swing state dichotomy and make all votes equal, no matter the state of the voter. The President should be elected by direct, popular vote. Our state's current winner-take-all method leaves the near majority of citizens unrepresented.

Since a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College may prove unfeasible, we should set our sights on amending state laws to proportionally award our electors.

Paper trail for e-voting machines.
Legislation needs to be supported that requires touch-screen voting machine in South Carolina to be equipped to produce and store a voter-verified paper record of every vote cast (H-3590 Rep. Rutherford).

Election Day Holiday
The US ranks 139th in average voter turnout among the 172 nations that have held competitive elections since 1945. A national Election Day Holiday to celebrate the basic right that enables our self-government would serve to vastly increase participation among all demographic groups, create opportunities for meaningful community events that celebrate democratic ideals, and make available an enormous pool of Election Day volunteers and poll workers to handle increased turnout.

One proposal suggests replacing President's Day with an Election Day holiday. What better way to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln than with a day celebrating the free and fair election of their successors?

In lieu of a national voting holiday, the state should pass legislation that requires employers to give workers time off to vote (See H-3263, Rep. James Smith. Two hours off to vote bill).

H-3263 should be amended to prohibit any employee from being fired for missing work to vote or to be a poll worker.

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), a method of voters ranking their choices eliminates the need for runoff elections, gives the voter greater representation than a winner-take-all election, and reduces negativity in campaigns.

The legislature should pass IRV for out of state voters and study using IRV in general elections. (Add to H-3720, Rep Talley, bill to assure overseas voting).

Publicly Financed Elections.
Legislation has been introduced for "Clean Elections" that would provide grants to run for public office from candidates who spend no private funds (H-3656, Clean Elections Act, Rep. Joe Neal).

The fact that 96+% of the candidates who spend the most money win, discourages people from running for office. The fact that money plays such a dominate role in politics is one of the reasons people don't vote. Publicly financed elections would cost South Carolina taxpayers less than a penny a day ($3.50 a year), and go a long way towards bringing more citizens into the electoral process.