New policies could help reduce public apathy
South Carolina voters, along with those in 18 other states, are not a part of more than 40 percent of voters nationally expected to cast their ballot for president before Election Day. The state’s General Assembly discontinued early voting in 2009, claiming it wasn’t prudent for voters to select a candidate before the campaigns finished creating their platforms. However, early voting would allow South Carolina residents a greater opportunity to participate in the election.
Strict policies about the election process do nothing but prevent residents from partaking in something that already generates great apathy. Recent implementation of stricter voter identification laws hinders voting fraud, making a better case for early voting. With stringent voter ID laws, early voting would not be a catalyst for greater voting fraud.
It is obvious South Carolinians desire early voting, as more than 340,000 cast absentee ballots in 2008, according to the South Carolina Election Commission. This is more than double the number in any previous election, showing that South Carolinians have been using absentee voting as de facto early voting.
The convenience of early voting could encourage more residents to be a part of the election process. Even a narrow early voting window would still allow a greater number of people to cast their ballots for the candidate they have most likely made their mind up about early in the presidential race. It also helps to relieve the stress of a one-day event, where election officials are responsible for accommodating millions of people who come to vote within a 12–hour period.
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