COLUMBIA, S.C. – Today is the first day of early voting in South Carolina, and people will decide if they want to change one word in the state’s law.
As of now, the state law says that “every” citizen of the state or country can vote.
The general assembly decided to put a question on the paper that asked people if they wanted to change “every” to “only.”
Sen. Josh Kimbrell (R), who pushed the bill that added the poll question, is one of the people who support the change.
At a news gathering to explain the new item on the ballot, Kimbrell said that if people voted “yes,” South Carolina would not be able to be sued by groups that he said were trying to get non-citizens to vote.
“Let’s get this straight. You can’t vote in South Carolina right now if you aren’t a member of the United States or this state. “However, there have been many court challenges across the United States, and some courts have upheld the idea that local governments or school boards can give people who aren’t legally in the country the right to vote,” Kimbrell said.
Lynn Teague, vice president of the League of Women Voters in South Carolina, said that the change could hurt people who can legally vote.
She made it clear that they are fine with the rules that are already in place and don’t want to change anything in the law.
She said it would be more pointless and might keep real, qualified people from voting.
In this election, questions like these will be on the ballot in eight states, including North Carolina.
