SC lawmakers plan to set aside up to $15M to protect voting amid coronavirus outbreak

Though coronavirus cases are expected to peak in South Carolina before voters head to the polls in June and November, the pandemic could have an impact on the state’s electoral process, curbing voting and putting poll workers and voters at risk.

To lessen that impact, state legislators will meet briefly for an emergency session on Wednesday to adopt measures that include setting aside of up to $15 million to cover costs directly related to protecting the health of the state’s voters, poll workers and local election employees.

That money will come out of a $180 million one-time account reserved for the state’s response to the coronavirus the Legislature is expected to adopt as part of its proposed continuing resolution to ensure state government can keep operating into the fall.

Legislators are expected to be called back to the Capitol on Sept. 15 and continue meeting no later than Sept. 24, according to the proposed sine die resolution.

The legislation as proposed also states that other money in that account can be set aside to reimburse local governments and hospitals for spending directly related to the coronavirus, which could include preventing a hospital from shutting down.

Aside from that, lawmakers also plan to put $20 million toward a disaster trust fund should, for instance, a natural disaster occur during the months that the Legislature will be absent from the State House.

In order for Gov. Henry McMaster to direct that cash, the spending from that fund must be approved by the Joint Bond Review Committee, a joint House and Senate committee chaired by the two legislative chambers’ budget chairmen, according to the legislation provided to The State.

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As national and state health officials urge social distancing, the practice of distancing oneself from other people to prevent transmission of disease, state legislators have faced mounting pressure to decide how the state should conduct its upcoming June primaries and November general election. State and local elections official and lawmakers have expressed concerns about voter and poll worker safety.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham — a Democrat up for reelection this year who faces no primary opposition — called on lawmakers to postpone the June 9 primary.

In a letter last month, the state’s elections chief Marci Andino asked Gov. Henry McMaster, Senate President Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, and House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, to weigh options that include expanding absentee qualifications or mail-in voting that would protect voters and poll workers, who typically fall within the age — 70 and up — that is most vulnerable to the virus.

On the books are more than a dozen qualifications to be an absentee voter. None of them include a health pandemic.

“In order to safely and securely conduct elections during and following the coronavirus pandemic, we respectfully ask that sincere consideration be given to making emergency changes to our election process,” Andino wrote in her March 30 letter. “There is no single or easy solution to protecting more than three million voters and election workers during or following a pandemic.”

Spokesman Chris Whitmire told The State the S.C. State Election Commission appreciates the funding but there are still questions that need to be answered as to what they can do with the money and will the agency be given future authority to hold elections differently — all options which the Election Commission is preparing for and all of which would cost more money.

According to Whitmire, the governor has the authority to postpone or reschedule elections, but it’s up to the Legislature to decide whether to expand absentee voting qualifications, for example.

“We have no authority to deviate from the way elections are prescribed by law,” Whitmire said, adding that while state leadership is aware of election issues as it relates to the coronavirus, the Election Commission has not received any indication changes may happen.

And in a separate letter sent Monday to McMaster and House and Senate leadership, the S.C. Association of Registration and Election Officials’ president Katy Smith called on state officials to make changes soon that “are not only open, transparent and fair, but also conducted in a way that minimizes risk of exposure” to COVID-19.

In her letter, provided to The State, Smith said mail-in voting would be the best option, writing that it would best limit person-to-person contact.

“While we are still under a cloud of uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic what is known is that as Election Officials we are tasked with conducting elections, but with that responsibility lies an even higher responsibility of ensuring the safety and health of everyone participating in the election process in South Carolina,” Smith wrote.

But lawmakers, who ultimately hold the authority in this arena, haven’t been universally sold on these plans.

Last month, McMaster said he saw no reason to postpone the the statewide June primary, and last week McMaster reiterated that point when asked by reporters whether he had changed his mind.

“Everything is on the table,” McMaster said. “I’m confident that arrangements are being made for absentee voting and those sorts of things and to where people can receive whatever materials they need without congregating and those kind of things.”

Trav Robertson, chairman of the S.C. Democratic Party, told The State it’s reckless not to change how S.C. voters will cast ballots this year. Drew McKissick, chairman of the S.C. Republican Party, could not be reached by press time.

“The Republicans that control our government have a moral responsibility to protect our citizens and a constitutional responsibility to make sure our democracy doesn’t falter,” Robertson said. “Our people demand that they take action and eliminate qualifications for absentee voting and transition to a mail-in voting program.”

Lynn Teague, with the S.C. League of Women Voters, pointed to voting Tuesday in Wisconsin, where, despite an attempt by the state’s governor to postpone the primary, voters lined up for hours at some precincts, wearing face masks and gloves.

“South Carolina has time to fix that before things are a horror show in November.”