Democrats should not be voting in South Carolina primary, local chairwoman says

LEXINGTON, S.C.--There isn't a ton for Democrats in South Carolina to do this week. The party isn't holding a primary and even if it were, no one prominent would be on the ballot to challenge Barack Obama.

But there is a message that Kathryn Hensley, the chairwoman of the Lexington County Democrats and a longtime political operative, is trying to get out: Stay home Saturday if you just want to meddle.

"Unless you're Republican, you shouldn't be voting in a Republican primary," Hensley told Yahoo News.

Voters in South Carolina don't register by party, so Saturday's primary is open to any registered voter in the state.

While South Carolina focuses on the race for the Republican nomination, Hensley is preparing to kick things into gear for local Democrats.

Asked if she is concerned about waning support for Barack Obama, Hensley acknowledged some "disappointments" after the "great expectations" in the wake of Obama's election, but she expressed confidence in a rebound of Democratic engagement.

"We're beginning now to realize that change doesn't happen overnight, that it takes a while to change those old ways," she said.

Read more coverage of the 2012 South Carolina primary at Yahoo News.

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