To address concerns that precincts around the state may run out of emergency ballots if voting machines fail during this Saturday’s Democratic primary, the SC Progressive Network is providing voters with their own emergency ballot that they can print and take with them to the polls.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if your precinct runs out of state supplied ballots, you can vote on any scrap of paper. Do not leave a poll where the machines are not working without casting a paper ballot. Do NOT try and vote on paper if the machines are working. If you insist on voting on paper when the machines are working, your ballot will go in with the contested ballots that will not be counted until the Thursday after the polls close – if at all.

You can print your own emergency ballot by downloading this file:
emergencyballot.pdf

If you encounter problems at the polls, please call the Network’s office to lodge a report by calling 1-803-808-3384. If warranted, the reports will be compiled and circulated to election officials and lawmakers as a resource to help guide us through the uncharted waters created by South Carolina’s new touch-screen voting machines.

Obama as “radical muslim”
By Ed Madden, Columbia

I ran into a friend in the grocery store, and we started talking about politics.

“I hope you’re not planning to vote for that Obama,” he said.

Why? “You know he’s a Muslim.”

Living in South Carolina, you get used to hearing the national news talk about the nasty politics of our state. We are the land of push polls and Lee Atwater—the state that famously spread false rumors about McCain’s child in the last election, the state that saw religious prejudice alive and well in fake Christmas cards sent out last month to attack Romney. It’s become the standard intro to national stories about the Republican primary here—as predictable as the inevitable Confederate flag question at the debates.

But here I was, talking with a friend in Kroger—a friend whose opinion I valued—hearing that Barak Obama was a radical Muslim who refused to put his hand on the Bible when he was sworn in. “He won’t put his hand on the Bible,” he repeated.

Continue reading →

A paper towel may be used as a valid ballot if the voting machine fails you when you’re at the polls, advises SC State Election Commission spokesperson Chris Whitmire.

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The South Carolina Progressive Network held a press conference yesterday to address voting irregularities in last weekend’s Republican presidential primary here. Problems were reported in Horry and Florence counties with voting machines that were not prepped properly. As a result, the touch-screen computers were not working when voters showed up at over 300 precincts in Horry County. Machines in both counties were programmed with the wrong date, and wouldn’t close at the end of the day. Hard numbers are unavailable, but reports indicate that at least some early voters were turned away in several precincts.

The problems at the polls were further exacerbated by election workers’ failure to have the requisite number of emergency ballots on hand.

The Network held the press conference on Jan. 23 to alert the public to potential problems in this Saturday’s Democratic primary, and to urge those going to the polls to be prepared, if the machines malfunction, to vote on paper. Any paper will do, including “paper towels,” according to the state Election Commission’s Chris Whitmire.

Also, if voters encounter problems at the polls they are urged to call the Network at 800-849-1803 or 803-808-3384 to seek help and to lodge a report.

Here are some clips from yesterday’s press conference. Speakers are Network Director Brett Bursey (left) and state Sen. Phil Leventis (D-Sumter). In the background are (on left) Donna Dewitt, Network Co-chair and SC AFL-CIO president, and Liz Deas of the SC Voter Education Project.

Below are links to news stories published after the press event.

Columbia’s Fox News

The State

Associated Press