South Carolina extends voter registration due to Hurricane Helene impact

South Carolina Judge Daniel Coble extended the voter registration deadline by eight days at a virtual hearing Friday due to Hurricane Helene.

In-person, online and mail-in applications will now be accepted until Oct. 14.

The decision came after the state’s Democrats filed a lawsuit citing damage from Hurricane Helene as a barrier to citizens’ ability to participate in the general election.

“Many residents remain without power and internet, and numerous government offices—including those responsible for voter registration—are closed due to the storm’s impact,” the South Carolina Democratic Party said in a press release.

Several county voter registration offices were closed for days before being able to reopen for registration. Offices in Edgefield, Laurens, and McCormick have remained closed due to the storm, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.

“Our goal is simple: to ensure that every citizen in South Carolina has the opportunity to register and exercise their right to vote, regardless of their politics, in the face of challenges caused by Hurricane Helene,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said.

”Protecting the right to vote is a fundamental part of our democracy. We are asking for this extension so that no South Carolinian is left behind during these difficult times and so that everyone has the chance to make their voices heard in the upcoming election.” 

The state’s courts granted a similar extension in response to Hurricane Florence in 2018. The party claims the attorney general and governor should have initiated this response but did not.

“The state party had little choice but to go to court to ask for an extension because neither the Attorney General nor Governor [Henry] McMaster, who was involved in the effort in 2018 to extend the deadline, did so this year,” party Executive Director Jay Parmley said.

“I guess the only difference was that Alan Wilson’s and Henry McMaster’s names were on the ballot in 2018, and they are not this year. I’m still surprised that neither of our state’s highest elected officials has done anything to extend the voter registration deadline in 2024.”

However, Spain maintained that the issue and the decision were nonpartisan.

“We are pleased the voter registration deadline has been extended. This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s an issue of the public good and ensuring the right to vote is protected for everyone,” Spain said.