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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
RIGHT? SO I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REGISTRATION FOR IN MARCH 24TH.
I'M GOING TO START WITH, UM, LEAVING US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO I BROUGHT APPLIES WITH TIME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PUBLIC UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
UM, FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE ONLY HAD ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF.
IT WAS A LETTER SUBMITTED TO US FROM THE U FOR COUNTY DEMOCRATIC STUDIES.
SO IT WAS IN RELATION TO THIS LAST ELECTION.
UM, THEY JUST HAD SOME COMMENTS AND SOME THINGS FOR THE BOARD.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THAT.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT OUR DEMOCRACY IS BEST SERVED BY ENSURING THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER OR FULL VOTER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE FOR.
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO ADOPT REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE VOTING, NOT PLACE THE TURNS OFF OF BARRIERS TO THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
WE OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT, INCLUDING THOSE CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED IN THE 2021 SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATOR, THAT PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING SPECIFICALLY, THOSE THAT WOULD DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT POPULATIONS OF COLOR THAT BUFORD COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND NO EXCUSE EARLY VOTING FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS.
HOWEVER, WE RECOMMEND THE BOARD FOR THE, FOR THE ACTIONS YOU TOOK IN 2022 OPERATIONAL, IS THAT OPERATIONALIZE, NO EXCUSE EARLY VOTING IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS.
WE HOPE THAT ADDITIONAL MEASURES SUCH AS THE ONE PROMOTED BY THE COUNTY BOARD PRIOR TO BEING PROHIBITED BY THE STATE LEGISLATOR TO USE THE USE OF DROPBOXES FOR COMPLETED BALLOTS WILL BECOME PART OF OUR ELECTION PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
WE ALSO COMMEND THE BOARD FOR OPENING THREE EARLY VOTING OFFICES IN BUFORD COUNTY FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION.
THIS MEASURE HELPED ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASE IN VOTER TURNOUT, BUT WAS ALSO CRITICAL TO ENSURING EASIER ACCESS TO VOTING FOR MANY OLDER VOTERS WHO RESIDE ON HILTON HEAD.
AS WE GO FORWARD, WE ARE HEARTENED BY THE FACT THAT OVER 70% OF ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN BUFORD COUNTY CAST A BALLOT IN THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION, BUT ALSO BELIEVE WE CAN DO BETTER FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
ONLY 63% OF ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN BUFORD COUNTY CAST A BALLOT IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS UP SLIGHTLY FROM 61% IN THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTION.
WE WOULD URGE THIS BOARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RELEVANT BEAVER COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS TO FOCUS ON HOW TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION AMONG OUR MINORITY AND OTHER YOUTH POPULATIONS.
IN CONCLUSION, THE BCBP IS ACUTELY AWARE THAT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CREATED GREAT CHALLENGES FOR THE ENTIRE ELECTION PROCESS.
WE WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK THE STAFF OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION BOARD FOR TAKING THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF BOTH THE VOTER AND THOSE WORKING AT THE POLLS DURING THE NOVEMBER, 2020 ELECTIONS.
SO THAT WAS THEIR COMMENT AND THEIR THINGS TO US AND THE, UM, THE STAFF OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT THEY RECOGNIZE WE'RE NOT THE ONES THAT SAID EARLY VOTING.
WE JUST IMPLEMENTED THE POLICY SET BY US BY OUR LEGISLATORS.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, BEVERLY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'RE MUTED? UM, WHEN DID THAT LETTER COME IN AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO GET COPIES OF LETTERS LIKE THIS SINCE WE'RE MEETING BY WEBEX RATHER THAN FACE-TO-FACE, IT CAME IN LAST NIGHT AND I CAN FORWARD IT TO YOU AS SOON AS THIS MEETING IS OVER.
AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A LETTER LIKE THAT, JUST
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TO GO INTO OUR DELIBERATIONS WHEN WE CONSIDER CERTAIN BILLS, THAT POSITION IS A VERY VALID ONE.AND, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A COPY OF IT.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL DO GET A COPY OF IT.
UM, CHRIS, DID WE HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? I ONLY WANT TO HAVE A BAD CONNECTION.
NO, MA'AM I DON'T SEE ANY TIME.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE ONLINE APPLE.
IS ANYBODY ELSE HAVING THAT PROBLEM? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM.
UM, CRAIG AND CAROLINE ARE SAYING THAT THERE'S A BAD CONNECTION AND THAT THEY CAN ONLY SEE HERE PART OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.
UM, ALL I CAN SAY IS WE NEED TO KEEP THEM MUTED AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP CLEAR IT UP.
SO KEEP YOUR MAX MUTED UNTIL IT'S TIME TO SPEAK.
GEE, WE'RE ALL STREAMING ON FACEBOOK RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR COMMENT.
IT'S DOING THE FACEBOOK ANYMORE.
SO I THINK MY ONLY RECEIVING COMMENTS THROUGH EMAILS.
SO WE'RE NOT FACEBOOK SCREAMING RIGHT NOW.
AND HOW HAS THE PUBLIC, IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO OBSERVE IT.
I MEAN, WE SHOULD GO TO PERSON, THE COUNTER CHANNEL.
YOU CAN WATCH IT ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
LET'S GO TO THE PUPIL COUNTY WEBSITE AND THERE SHOULD BE, UM, A PROMPT THAT WHERE YOU CAN GO AND WATCH THE LIVE SCREAMING GOING ON AT THIS TIME COUNTY MEETINGS.
SO THE PUBLIC CAN WATCH US, BUT THEY CAN'T INTERACT WITH US.
THEY CAN, THEY CAN SEND LIVE EMAILS AND CHRIS'S IN THERE GETTING THE EMAILS AS WE SPEAK.
THOSE EMAILS ALSO COME TO MARIA AND MYSELF.
BUT WHILE I'M IN HERE, CHRIS IS LOOKING AT THE COMMENTS AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE ASKED HER AT THE BEGINNING, IF THERE WERE ANY MORE THAT WE GOT LEADING UP AND THEN I'LL ASK HER AGAIN AT THE END.
SO THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 24TH MEETING WERE SENT OUT A WEEK OR 10 DAYS, JANE UNMUTE.
I DID, I DID DO CLICK THE ON MUTE.
UM, THE MEETING FROM THE FEBRUARY 24, THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 24TH MEETING WERE SENT OUT ABOUT A WEEK OR 10 DAYS AGO.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES SUBMITTED.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? OKAY, GREAT.
THE MINUTES FOR THE FEBRUARY 24TH MEETING ARE APPROVED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS OR COMMITTEE REPORTS.
SO THAT BRINGS US TO THE NEW BUSINESS.
AND I THINK THAT THE LEGISLATIVE ROUND TABLE AND THE LETTER TO OUR LEGISLATORS GO HAND IN HAND, I THINK IT WILL BE A SIMULTANEOUS DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF OPINIONS ON THESE TWO LETTERS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE VIEWPOINTS DIFFER GREATLY.
THE FIRST ONE WAS WRITTEN BASED OFF OF WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HAD BROUGHT TO THE BOARD.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS BASED OFF OF FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED AFTER THE FACT.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND PUT TOGETHER THE SECOND LETTER SO THAT WE COULD REVIEW IT AND TALK ABOUT IT AND DISCUSS ANY CHANGES THAT WE THINK SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE MADE.
SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANYONE'S COMMENTS, PLEASE.
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ABOUT COMMENTS ABOUT HOUSEFIELD THREE, FOUR, ONE ZERO, AND IT'S WRITTEN IN RED THAT I THINK WE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THIS BILL BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY ISSUES.THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY ISSUES FOR THIS BOARD APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO CONSIDER, UM, THE FACT THAT THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE WITNESSES TO INCLUDE A DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER OR VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER.
WE'RE FURTHER SUPPRESS THE VOTE OF PARTICULARLY IN MINORITY POPULATIONS AND ANY POPULATION THAT THE WITNESS MAY, UM, NOT HAVE ACCESSIBLE, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOCUMENTS AND TO FURTHER IMPOSE, UM, SOMETHING THAT MAY, UM, PROHIBIT THAT, UM, VOTE THAT BALLOT FROM REACHING US AND BEING CONSIDERED, I THINK IS A FORM OF VOTER SUPPRESSION.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING, ANY OF THE BILLS ARE TOO GREAT THAT WE SHOULD NOT CONSIDER.
UM, WE ARE ALL INTELLIGENT PEOPLE AND WE MAY NOT ALL AGREE, BUT WHATEVER THE MAJORITY OF THIS GROUP FEELS ABOUT, UM, A BILL SHOULD GO FORTH TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS, WHO HAVEN'T TRUSTED, UM, THEIR RIGHT WISDOM TO SUBMIT OUR NAMES TO GOVERNOR FOR APPOINTMENT.
WELL, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE.
UM, BEVERLY I THINK THAT, UM, WE SHOULD VOICE OUR ON THIS MATTER, BUT AS FAR AS A CONSENSUS AS A BODY, IF WE DON'T UNANIMOUSLY AGREE, WE SHOULDN'T GO FORWARD.
YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, TAXPAYER CITIZEN CAN SPEAK FREELY WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, BUT AS A, AS A BODY, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD COME TO SOME TYPE OF AN AGREEMENT.
I MEAN, I, I AGREE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF WITNESS SIGNATURE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF VERIFICATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR POST OFFICE, YOU MEAN YOUR POST, A POSTAL WORKER CAN BE THAT WITNESS.
HE HAS A DRIVER'S LICENSE, OR SHE HAS A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
THEY GO TO YOUR HOUSE AND DELIVER MAIL.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SUPPRESSION.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE, THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO SUBMIT THE BALLOT, UM, WE CAN'T PROJECT WHO THAT PERSON HAS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD OR ACCESSIBLE TO THAT PERSON.
WE CAN ONLY THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE THAT MAY BE, EXCUSE ME, LET ME FINISH.
THAT MAY BE TRUE IN CERTAIN SOCIAL CIRCLES, BUT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE TWO DOCUMENTS OR THE ONES WHERE WE CAN REACH A MAJORITY AGREEMENT, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING IN OUR BOOKS THAT SAY THAT WE HAVE TO REACH TOTAL CONSENSUS 100% AGREEMENT TO HAVE AN OPINION ON A HOUSE DEAL.
NOW, JIM ROWE IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE RULE BOOK.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S STATED IN THE RULE BOOK THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE AN OPINION AND TO ARTICULATE THAT OPINIONS TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, IT HAS, UM, A CONSENSUS.
JIM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? IT HAS TO BE A CONSENSUS OF THOSE ATTENDING THE MEETING.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO ME, IT MEETS THAT MEETS THAT TEST.
I WOULD, I WOULD REMIND PEOPLE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DEBATE, TO CONSIDER FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF OPEN AND FREE EXCHANGE, WE SHOULD NOT.
AND FRANKLY, PROBABLY FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, WE CANNOT REACH UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT.
RIGHT? THE IDEA IS THAT AGAIN, THE VOTERS OF THIS COUNTY ARE, ARE, ARE RELYING ON US TO APPLY THE CONSENSUS RULE.
CAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS NOW, CONSENSUS MAJORITY OF THOSE PRESENT.
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PRESENT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX.BUT MY POINT WAS IS THAT THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR US TO SEND A LETTER.
SO MARIE FIRST SAID, CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THEN ALONG THE LINE, SOMEONE AGREED THAT WE SHOULD, AS A BOARD DRAFTED A LETTER.
IF I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING ON THAT LETTER, I DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF IT.
I MEAN, THAT'S YOUR RIGHT? THAT'S YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
I THINK THE COMMITTEE, UM, DECIDED BERNADETTE, AM I CORRECT? THAT IT SHOULD GO FORTH AS A WRITTEN DOCUMENT FROM THE BOARD I'M ON THAT BOAT.
WE DIDN'T VOTE TO SEND A LETTER, BUT WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD COMMUNICATE OUR, UM, POSITIONS OR CONCERNS TO OUR LOCAL DELEGATION REFERENCED TO THE BILL AS BEING PROPOSED, WHICH MURRAY SAID VISUALLY NOT AS A BOARD.
YOU MAKE THAT DECISION AS WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO SEND IT INDIVIDUALLY AND YOU CAN STILL SEND IT INDIVIDUALLY.
BUT IF THE BOARD DECIDES THEY WANT TO SEND SOMETHING AS A BOARD, THAT'S REALLY UP TO YOU.
PHANTOM PRESIDENT, WHAT DID YOU THINK? MADAM CHAIRWOMAN.
JUST SHOWING THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS.
I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO SEND A LETTER, IF WE'RE GOING TO SEND A LETTER TO OUR LEGISLATORS, I THINK SENDING A LETTER THAT VOICE IS OUR CONCERN.
AND SIMPLY STATES WE HAVE, WE HAVE CONCERNS OR WE'RE IN AGREEMENT FOR THESE SUCH BILLS.
WE CAN SEND A LETTER LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET DOWN TO SPECIFICS AND VIEWPOINTS, I THINK WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN SEPARATE VIEWPOINTS.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO A LETTER IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
BECAUSE IF WE GET QUESTIONED INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A WHOLE, IF WE DON'T AGREE WITH IT, HOW DO WE DEFEND THE POSITION? UM, I THINK THAT IF HE'S BUILT CAN BE VERY PERSONAL.
UM, AND THAT IS, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING OF US FROM REACHING OUT TO OUR LEGISLATORS AS INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE THINK.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S TOUGH TO SAY THAT OUR BOARD'S OPINION, IT'S MAYBE ONLY THE OPINION OF HALF OF OUR BOARD.
THAT'S, THAT'S TOUGH FOR ME TO SWALLOW.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT JIM IS SAYING ABOUT THERE NEEDING TO BE A CONSENSUS, NOT NECESSARILY A UNANIMOUS DECISION, BUT I THINK THAT IN THE CASE OF THIS, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE CAN JUST SAY, WE DO NOT HAVE TO, LIKE, IT'S NOT VITAL THAT WE SEND OUT LETTERS.
IT IS OUR JOB TO REACH OUT TO OUR LEGISLATORS.
AND, UM, AS FAR AS VOTER SUPPRESSION AND ELECTION PROCESSES, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR LETTER DOES NOT ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE SENT AS IS.
AND THAT IS JUST THAT'S MY VIEWPOINT.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? YES.
IN REFERENCE TO, TO WHETHER WE SEND A LETTER OR NOT, I GUESS THE LETTER COULD SAY IT'S A VIEW OF THE MAJORITY OF OUR BOARD.
WE CAN SIT BACK, WE CAN SAY, BUT IN REFERENCE TO THIS BILL, THIS BILL IN PARTICULAR, WHAT IS IT REALLY CHANGED? I MEAN, AND I GUESS I'M TRYING TO THINK, DO WE, DO WE REALLY GO THROUGH, UM, THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THE SIGNATURES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE VERY OFTEN, WE OFTEN CAN WE GO THROUGH AND VERIFY THAT THAT SIGNATURE IS THERE ANYWAY.
AND DO WE EVEN VERIFY THAT THE PERSON LIVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA OR IS EVEN THE PERSON? SO I'M GUESSING, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS I DON'T, I DON'T S YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A REAL OPINION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CHANGE A WHOLE LOT.
IT MAY NOT, BUT JUST LET'S LOOK AT THE
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FACT THAT A HOUSE BILL IS NOT UPSTANDING IS THE PERSON WHO CRAFTED THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION, THE WORDING TOGETHER, WE'RE MERELY REACTING TO A BILL THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND PRESENTED.WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS LANGUAGE.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS PRESENTED AS HOUSE BILL 34, 10.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CRAFTED, WE'RE RESPONDING TO WHAT WAS CRAFTED IN THE HOUSE.
SO MY RESPONSE IS WHY CHANGE SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING ON RENT? OKAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE ALREADY.
IS IT MARIE BEFORE LICENSE ALREADY? I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY, WELL, WE HAVE THEIR PROCESS, RIGHT.
AND THAT WAS OUT, THAT WAS IN CLOSE INGESTION THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO OUR LEGISLATORS SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW THAT THE PROCESS THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE IS SUFFICIENT AND DOES NOT IMPEDE UPON ANYBODY'S RIGHT TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY WILL BE THE ONES WHO WILL ULTIMATELY BE MAKING THE DECISIONS ON THESE BILLS.
BUT WE NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE HOW WE FELT ABOUT THESE BILLS TO THOSE WHO WILL BE MAKING THE IMPACT ON THE BILLS PER SE, OR TO COMMUNICATE OUR THOUGHTS TO THEIR COLLEAGUES WILL BE ALSO VOTING ON THE, UH, ON THE PANELS.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS A BOARD TO COMMUNICATE ANY, UH, ANY FEELINGS THAT WE HAD ON DAWSON.
HE HAD OPINIONS THAT WE HAD IN REFERENCE TO BILLS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
THAT'S GOING TO IMPEDE UPON THE PROCESS, THE FOLDERS.
WELL, I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU, BERNADETTE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS FAR AS PRESENTING THESE BILLS, BUT I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID MADE ME THINK THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT WE CAN MEET HALFWAY ON 34, 10, UM, TO MAKE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LINE, UH, MEANINGFUL WHAT WE INCLUDE 34 10, BUT THE STATEMENT BEING CR FOUR 34 10, BECAUSE, OR WE ARE AGAINST 34 10, BECAUSE WHY DON'T WE JUST SAY OUR CURRENT PROFITS IS JUST MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACT ABOUT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DON'T NECESSARILY, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE SIGNING SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEFEND IT AT SOME FOODS.
WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK OF THAT? I AGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE IF THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ANY VOTER FRAUD, THE ONLY NECESSARY.
SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A NOTE THAT FOR HOUSE BILL 34 10, WE MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE CURRENT PROCESS AND WHY IT'S WORKED THUS FAR, RATHER THAN GIVE OUR OPINION EITHER FOR, OR AGAINST IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
HOW DOES EVERYBODY AGREE? DOES ANYBODY DISAGREE? OKAY, WELL T OKAY.
UM, I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS, TO JUST GO DOWN THE LIST ON THE BILL, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, BOTH LETTERS WERE VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
SO I WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS AND WE WILL, IT'LL HELP US NARROW DOWN WHICH VERSIONING WE'RE HOPING TO SEND TO THE LEGISLATORS.
A LOT OF OUR IMPACT INPUT LETTERS, THIS LETTER SHOULD GO TO ALL OF OUR LEGISLATORS, NOT JUST THE SENATORS.
ONLY BECAUSE THE ONLY MONTH THAT SHOULD NECESSARILY BE DIRECTED JUST AT THE SENATORS, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN PASSED IN THE HOUSE IS HOUSE BILL THREE, FOUR, FOUR, FOUR.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT SHOULD GO TO ALL OF THE LEGISLATORS.
UM, DOES ANYBODY DISAGREE WITH THAT? OKAY.
SO THAT BRINGS US TO HOUSE BILL THREE, FIVE, THREE, THREE.
AND THAT IS THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT EARLY VOTING.
UM, THOUGHTS, W W WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EARLY VOTING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VOTING IN PERSON EARLY VOTING, RIGHT INPUT.
IT'S SEPARATE THE IN-PERSON ABSENTEE.
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YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REASON EITHER YOU HAVE TO WORK OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT EARLY VOTING IS ANYBODY THAT'S A REGISTERED VOTER CAN VOTE EARLY.DURING THOSE TIME PERIODS, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.
SO BASICALLY IT'S EXTENDING ELECTION DAY, WHATEVER TIME THE LEGISLATOR SET FORTH.
SO IT COULD BE INSTEAD OF ELECTION DAY IT'S ELECTION WEEK, OR IT'S AN ELECTION MONTH OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
AND I USE THOSE TERMS ONLY BECAUSE IN THE LEGISLATIVE ROUND TABLE, THAT WAS HOW THEY PUT IT.
SO TALKING ABOUT IN PERSON, IN PERSON VERSUS MAILING, THIS IS ALL ABOUT IN-PERSON THERE'S IN-PERSON ABSENTEE.
AND THEN THERE'S EARLY VOTING.
YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE 17 REASONS FOR VOTING ABSENTEE EARLY VOTING IS NOT ABSENTEE VOTING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A REASON.
THAT'S KIND OF THE COVID REASON THIS LAST TIME.
WE'RE NOT HAVING TO HAVE A REASON TO DO IN-PERSON THAT'S EARLY VOTING.
SO LET ME, LET ME TRY TO BE CLEAR.
THIS BILL HERE IS TALKING ABOUT IN PERSON NOT MAIL IN VOTING.
THIS IS TALKING ABOUT EARLY VOTING, NOT ABSENTEE.
IN PERSON VOTING, NOT, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS.
IT'S STRICTLY, IN-PERSON VOTING AND IT'S NOT CONSIDERED ABSENTEE AT ALL, BUT THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS THERE, BE TALK BETWEEN THE TWO.
SO, I MEAN, I AGREE WITH WHAT'S SAID HERE, UM, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS IN WHICH LETTER, THE ONE, THIS ONE, THE ONE THAT, WELL, I MEAN THE ORIGINAL LETTER, THE OTHER LETTER LETTER, I THOUGHT THEY'RE SAYING THE SAME THING.
JUST DIFFERENT THERE'S COMMENTS TO THE RIGHT.
THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH, BUT THE ACTUAL WRITING OF IT, I THOUGHT WAS FINE.
YOU AGREE WITH WHAT IS STATED ON THE LETTER ABOUT, UM, INCREASES VOTER PARTICIPATION? LET ME TELL YOU WHY.
BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO VOTE, I WENT DOWN THERE AND SAID, MY WIFE AND I TALKED ABOUT HER.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO TRAVEL, WE WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPUR OF THE MOMENT.
WE MIGHT WANT TO GO ON A TRIP SOMEWHERE.
SO WE WENT DOWN AND WE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN.
ACTUALLY, WE WEREN'T OUT OF TOWN, BUT WE STILL VOTED, BUT WE WEREN'T SURE.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY EARLY VOTING AND EARLY VOTING.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? YEAH.
ONE OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EARLY VOTING AND ABSENT IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING IS IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A REASON.
AND EVEN AT THE REASON, UM, UH, THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS A REASON.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE WERE VOTING IN PERSON ABSENTEE EARLY VOTING IS LIKE JEAN SAID, IT'S JUST COMING TO THE POLLS FOR A SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME TO VOTE.
WITHOUT ANY REASON YOU JUST WANT TO COME EARLY, YOU MAY BE OUT OF TOWN ON ELECTION DAY, UM, MAY NOT, BUT JUST THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE PRECINCT ON ELECTION DAY AND VOTE.
YOU WANT TO GO TO SOME OTHER ESTABLISHMENT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE SET UP, UM, AS IF YOU WERE VOTING ON ELECTION DAY.
I THINK, UM, THAT THE FIRST LETTER MORE THOUGHTFULLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF, UM, THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE ABSENTEE AND EARLY VOTING.
AND I WOULD KEEP THAT LANGUAGE IN THE PERS ONE H UM, 35 33.
AND WHEN YOU LUMPED ALL THREE TOGETHER, I THINK THAT WAS A VERY GOOD WAY TO MANAGE ALL THREE OF THOSE WITH ONE STROKE.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE LETTER WITH THOSE THREE D OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE LETTER WITH THOSE SEPARATE, RIGHT.
I THINK HE LIKES THE ONE WHERE THEY'RE ALL THREE TOGETHER.
IS THAT CORRECT? CRAIG? I DO TOO.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT? YEAH, JEAN, I DO.
I THINK THAT ANY PERSON, I MEAN, EARLY VOTING AND IN-PERSON ABSENTEE ARE REDUNDANT BECAUSE BEFORE COVID-19 ANYBODY COULD VOTE ABSENTEE, YOU KNOW, I'M OUT OF TOWN.
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TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE.I MEAN, I VOTED ABSENTEE IN PERSON ALL THE TIME AND IT WAS ALWAYS PLENTY OF EXCUSES.
AND NOW WITH COVID ANYONE COULD, THEY WASN'T EXCUSED.
SO INSTEAD OF LIKE SENATOR CAMPSEN SAID, INSTEAD OF HAVING A ELECTION WEEK OR A MUCH A MONTH, WE HAVE ELECTION DAY, AND THEN WE HAVE THIS SEPARATE THING CALLED IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING.
AND I THINK THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTIONS NEED TO STAY THE SAME BY JUST KEEPING IT THAT WAY.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH KEEPING IT THE SAME WAY, IT'S SUPPOSE NONE OF THE 17 REASONS FIT YOUR SITUATION.
I CAME UP TO VOTE ONCE IN PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING AND THE PERSON AT THE WINDOW JUST AUTOMATICALLY CHECK IT OUT.
AND I SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
SO IT'S BEST TO LET PEOPLE CHOOSE.
BUT ONE THAT EARLY VOTING WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE AN EXCUSE, TO DO IN-PERSON EVENTS AND CHANGE, WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EXCUSE? WHY NOT ALLOW OPENED UP? I THINK WHAT THAT IS, IT SHOULD BE ELECTION DAY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO WORK.
MAYBE THEY WORK AN HOUR OR MAYBE THEY CAN VIEW, AND THEY WORK AN HOUR AWAY FROM WHERE THEIR POLLING LOCATION IS.
BUT IN THAT CASE THAT I HAVE TO WORK DOES, UM, DOES APPLY TO THEM.
BUT THE OTHER THING TOO IS OUT OF 16 REASONS, THERE'S A LOT, YOU'RE A CARETAKER.
YOU'RE OUT OF TOWN, MEDICAL REASONS, MEDICAL REASONS.
IT LITERALLY CHECKS THE BOX FOR ALMOST EVERY ONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEED TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN EARLY VOTING AND IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BECAUSE I CAN'T, BECAUSE THERE IS A SANCTION, THERE IS A THINK BETWEEN THE PROCESSES.
NO, THE TWO, YOU DON'T NEED A REASON TO VOTE EARLY.
WHY, WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REASON? OKAY.
THE LINES, WHEN WE CAN SHORTEN THE LINES IN BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD, WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO STAND IN A LINE FOR FOUR HOURS WHO ARE 80 YEARS OLD, WHY NOT ALLOW THEM THE OPTION TO, TO VOTE EARLY WITHOUT HAVING TO CREATE A LIE OR REASON BEVERLY THEY CAN HAVE, LIKE MY PARENTS, THEY VOTE ABSENTEE.
MAIL-IN VOTING, THEY MAIL IN THEIR BALLOT BECAUSE THEY'RE 80 AND 81.
WELL, BUT IT'S CALLED ABSENTEE VOTING.
AND SO THE REASON IS, IS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO STAND IN LINE FOR FOUR HOURS BECAUSE THEY'RE 80 AND 81.
SO THEY APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AND IT'S MAILED TO THEM AND THEY MAIL IT BACK BEAUTIFULLY.
SO WHY SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY TO HAVE POLLING STATIONS OPEN AND PEOPLE? I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT CONSTRAINTS OF OUR BUDGET IN HAND, WHICH WANTING TO EXTEND IT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BY HAVING ADDED RESOURCES.
I MEAN, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT INCREASING VOTER TURNOUT.
I THINK WE GOT A LETTER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN POPULATIONS, MAYBE 63% OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP.
WHAT IF PEOPLE HAD EARLY VOTING, CAN WE NOT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF VOTING WHAT'S WRONG WITH EARLY VOTING? WHEN MANY, MANY STATES IN THE UNION HAVE EARLY VOTING, AS WELL AS ABSENTEE VOTING TO SPEAK INSTEAD OF ME, BUT THERE ARE BETWEEN THE TWO AND MAYBE MARINCA FURTHER CLARIFY THE DISTINCTION AND I'LL SAY THIS, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERY SINGLE PRECINCT.
I ONLY KNOW FROM WHAT THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID, BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
PEOPLE WERE WAITING IN LINES FAR LONGER AT THE ABSENTEE PRECINCTS THAN THEY WERE ON ELECTION DAYS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THAT'S JUST MY OBSERVATION BECAUSE I WAS THERE ALONG THAT LINE, AT LEAST IN BUFORD, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD, BUT AT LEAST IN BUFORD, THAT LINE WRAPPED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE OPEN FIELDS OUT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD.
OKAY, GO AHEAD, JIM, SOMEBODY ELSE NEEDS TO SPEAK.
WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS, OF THIS, UH, BILL BY
[00:35:01]
BILL ANALYSIS.UH, YOU, AS FRANKLY, AS A FIRST MEASURE, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A FINAL ISSUE.
THERE, THERE THERE'S A LOT IN HERE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO TODAY.
ONE OF WHICH IS ONLY TWO PEOPLE ARE SIGNING THIS LETTER.
IS THAT WHAT WE WANT ALSO, UH, JUST TO, JUST TO REINFORCE THIS, THIS, THIS FOR ALL KINDS OF REASONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS PEOPLE TAKE OFFENSE AT NOT BEING RECOGNIZED.
UH, AND THAT I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T BLAME ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO WOULDN'T, WHO WOULDN'T GET THIS CURRENT ONE AND SAYING, WHAT, WHY, WHY WAS I NOT SENT A COPY? SO I THINK, I THINK WE'VE COVERED THAT GROUND, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO, BUT, UH, I, WHY ARE PEOPLE SO QUICK TO NOT RENDER A PARTICULARLY A BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD BE HELPING TO LEAD THE WAY FOR EARLY VOTING.
WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE ELECTIONS, WHERE, WHETHER IT BE A PRIMARY OR A GENERAL OR A SPECIAL, WHAT, WHY, WHY ARE WE SO QUICK TO SAY, OH, IT MIGHT COST MORE MONEY.
AND NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO VOTE EARLY.
IS THIS THE PRESSIVE MOOD NO MATTER WHO SUPPORTS IT IN MY MIND, IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
MY SUGGESTION WAS THE LETTER SHOULD COME FROM MS. FELIX AS THE BOY AND CHANT.
SO THEN IT WOULD COME FROM HER.
UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO PEOPLE, IT WOULD COME FROM HER AS THE BOY KID, WHICH THIS BOARD CAN DECIDE WHETHER IT WANTS TO DO OR NOT, OR NOT.
WHAT WAS IT? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THEN BERNADETTE? WHY IS YOUR NAME ON, ON THIS? I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I DIDN'T MEET THAT, MEET THAT CALL.
MY SUGGESTION WAS THAT IT SHOULD COME FROM MS. FELIX, BECAUSE SHE'S THE BOARD CHAIR.
AND THE REASON IT'S THAT WAY IS BECAUSE I HAD ASKED MARIE, UM, FOR EXAMPLES OF LETTERS, SUCH AS THIS ONE THAT HAVE BEEN SENT TO OUR LEGISLATORS AND THEY ALL JUST HAD THE CHAIR.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE CHAIR THAT IS NOT, THIS IS NOT HAVE TO GO OUT THIS WAY, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE DRAFT IS LIKE THAT.
IT'S BECAUSE MY EXAMPLES WERE LIKE THAT.
WELL, I, IT, IT, UH, I I'M, I AM AT I'M GONE.
I'M ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT 35 33 DOES, DOES NOT ADDRESS EARLY, EARLY, EARLY VOTING ONE.
AND TWO DOES NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO WORK IN ANY, ANY, UH, ANY NUMBER OF, OF OTHER LOCATIONS, BOTH, BOTH IN THIS STATE AND OUT OF THIS STATE, THAT EARLY VOTING IS DESIGNED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM ABSENTEE VOTING IT'S TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE.
NO EXCUSE FOR UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
I MEAN, THERE ARE STATES IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAVE AS MANY AS 45 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.
AND BY THE WAY, NOT ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF FRAUD, IT'S OHIO 45 DAYS.
WE SHOULD HAVE EARLY VOTING IN THIS STATE.
IF WE CAN HELP THAT HAPPEN IN MY JUDGMENT, ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE, WE SHOULD TAKE A POSITION ON EARLY VOTING AND MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHY WE THINK IT NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED.
SO YOUR POSITION IS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND SUPPORT HOUSE BILL 35 33.
UH, I HAVE TO READ THAT AGAIN, CAUSE I I'M NOT NOTHING, NO, NOTHING JUMPS OFF THE BOARD ON 35, 30, 33.
35, 33 ONCE, 10 DAYS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY ENDING THREE DAYS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY TO ALLOW EARLY VOTING, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.
I WOULDN'T, I WOULD SUPPORT, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT PERSONALLY FOR 14 DAYS THAT, YEAH.
AND THEN THEY CUT IT OFF THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
SO YOU, 10 DAYS, WHAT 10 DAYS ALSO GETS US FOLKS IS THERE, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OUR VOTERS, YOU WORK ON YOU WORK ON, ON, ON MONDAY, WORK ON TUESDAY, YOU WORK DURING THE WEEK, HEY, WE'VE GOT A DEAL FOR YOU.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN SHOW UP ON SATURDAY AND VOTE WHERE CONCEPT WHERE THE ONLY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WESTERN WORLD THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T DO IT ON A SATURDAY, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD, IT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO SEE THAT THIS BOARD SUPPORTS OPENING UP ON A, ON A VALIDATED BASIS, MAKING IT WIDESPREAD AS, AS WE CAN FOR AS LONG AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, EARLY VOTING JUST MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
[00:40:02]
AND THEN YOUR THOUGHTS ON 35 33, WELL STAYED, JIM.SO I THINK, I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME ANYTHING WHO IS IN FAVOR OF INCLUDING OUR POSITION OF BEING IN SUPPORT OF 35, 33 ON THIS LEGISLATOR TO OUR LEGISLATORS, THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN, THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN IN WHICH LETTER, THE ONE WHERE THEY'RE ALL COMBINED.
LET'S MOVE ON TO HOUSE BILL THREE, THREE, SEVEN, TWO.
UM, THIS IS EXTENDING IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING TO 14 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
SO THIS WILL BE TWO WEEKS OF IN-PERSON ABSENTEE AND OKAY.
THIS LAST ELECTION, WE HAD 30 DAYS, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF COVID.
SO, BUT IN GENERAL, 14 DAYS WOULD BE AN EXTENSION, CORRECT? MARIE IT'S TYPICALLY 30 DAYS REGARDLESS.
OH, SO THIS WILL BE SHORTENING IT TO 14 DAYS.
HE SAYS IT NOW, MARIE IT'S 30 DAYS RIGHT NOW, AND THIS WOULD CHANGE IT TO WHAT, UH, 14 DAYS CHANGE IT TO 14 DAYS.
AND THIS BILL ACTUALLY COVERS THREE GENERAL AREAS.
IT COVERS CHANGING THE IN-PERSON ABSENTEE TO 14 DAYS.
UM, PRIOR TO AN ELECTION ESTABLISHING A MAXIMUM OF SIX ABSENTEE VOTING LOCATIONS, OPENING THE ABSENTEE BALLOT ENVELOPES THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION AND ONLY LETTING SOMEONE BE ON THE BALLOT ONE TIME FOR ONE POLITICAL PARTY.
I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO, UM, RESPOND TO THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE BILL RATHER THAN COLLECTIVELY.
BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT THE NUMBER OF IN-PERSON ABSENCE DAYS SHOULDN'T BE DECREASED.
UM, EVERY TIME I DROVE BY, UM, THE OFFICE WAS BUSY TO CAPACITY AND TO DECREASE THAT WOULD REALLY, UM, REFLECT POORLY ON US AS A BOARD.
UH, NOT ALLOWING AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PROCESS OF IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING.
UM, DOES ANYBODY DISAGREE? OKAY.
I WANT, WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT.
IT SAYS, UM, SIX, SIX LOCATIONS.
I MEAN, WE HAD THREE ABSENTEE LOCATIONS AND MAYBE THAT WASN'T ADEQUATE, BUT OTHER COUNTIES ARE LARGER AND THEY MAY BE A LOT MORE THAN SIX.
SO I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD LIMIT IT TO THE NUMBER OF ABSENTEE LOCATIONS.
YOU KNOW, CHARLESTON, WE NEED TO A HECK OF A LOT MORE THAN SIX LOCATIONS.
WELL, ONCE WE RESPOND TO EACH ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, THEN THAT CAN BE DULY NOTED.
SO IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE, THAT THE LEGISLATORS DON'T PUT A MAXIMUM NUMBER ON THE NUMBER OF APPS AND T POLLING LOCATIONS THAT THEY COULD HAVE AS MANY AS THEIR POPULATION IS NECK.
IF THEY MISS NECESSITATED BY THE POPULATION.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE COUNTIES TO DECIDE FOR THEIR OWN TINY.
DOES EVERYONE AGREE? OKAY, GREAT.
THE NEXT PART IS OPENING THE ABSENTEE ENVELOPES.
THEN I BELIEVE IT'S SEEN YOUR ENVELOPES, THE DATE BEFORE THE ELECTION TO BEGIN AT 8:00 AM THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION.
SO MONDAY ISN'T THAT WHAT A SCAN WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO YES, I WOULD BE I'M SAVORED.
[00:45:02]
ONLY ISSUE I EVER HAD WITH THAT WAS IF THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT THAT INFORMATION CAN GET OUT THERE'S ANY WAY POSSIBLE THAT THAT THE PRESS CAN FIND OUT WHAT THE VOTING WAS FOR ABSENTEE THE NIGHT BEFORE OR EARLY VOTING, WHATEVER IN PERSON OR THE MAIL IN VOTING WAS THE BEFORE.SO I'M AGAINST, IF IN FACT THEY CANNOT FIND IT.
NOW ALL THAT INFORMATION IS, IS, UM, KEPT SECURE UNTIL SEVEN O'CLOCK ON ELECTION DAY.
I THINK THE KEYWORD WITH WHAT CRAIG SAID IS POSSIBLE, IS IT POSSIBLE? SURE.
UM, IN OUR COUNTY WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT THAT IS, I DON'T KNOW.
THE POSSIBILITY IS THAT YOU'RE ONLY OPENING THE OUTER ENVELOPE.
OPEN THE ENVELOPE STARTING AT 8:00 AM THE DAY BEFORE ELECTION.
SO THE BALLOTS WILL BE OPEN JUST LIKE THIS, READY TO ROCK.
THAT'S FINE TO TRUST THE INTEGRITY OF OUR STAFF.
ARE THEY JUST, ARE THEY JUST TALKING ABOUT OPENING THEM? THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT COUNTING THEM.
NO, YOU START COUNTING AT 7:00 AM THE MORNING OF ELECTION DAY.
I'M A GRAD CLARK COUNTY AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR COUNTY IS FINE.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS BILL FROM ALL OF THE COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALL AS EFFICIENTLY RUN AS WE ARE.
I THINK I'LL KEEP YOU MISS THE PILL.
WELL JUST, JUST, JUST THE IDEA THAT CRAIG, I KNOW WE DO A WHIZZBANG JOB, BUT I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE, DO BY STAYING AMONG OURSELVES WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION DAY AND THOSE DAYS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY.
OUR TRUST, I TRUST THE FACT THAT THAT, UH, BEST EFFORTS GO FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE.
YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN THAT, IN THAT SYSTEM.
SO YOU AGREE WITH OPENING THE, IN OUR ENVELOPE THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION.
ALL IN FAVOR, ALL IN FAVOR OF INCLUDING THAT IN OUR LETTER.
AND THE LAST PART OF THAT IS, UM, THE LAST PART OF THAT ONE AND THE NEXT BILL, H 32 OH SIX ARE THE SAME THING, UM, TO KEEP IT SO THAT ONE PERSON ONLY APPEARS ON THE BALLOT AT ONE TIME AND THEY CAN ONLY RUN FOR, UH, FOR ONE POLITICAL PARTY.
UM, I, FOR ONE AGREE WITH THAT, I THINK THEY SHOULD ONLY BE ON THE BALLOT ONE TIME FOR ONE POLITICAL PARTY.
WHAT DOES EVERYBODY ELSE THINK? ABSOLUTELY.
IF A PARTY WANTS TO SUPPORT A CANDIDATE, THAT PARTY SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
IF IT HAPPENS TO BE THE SAME PERSON, IT'S THE SAME PERSON WE'VE DONE THIS FOR HOW LONG NOW YOU ADD UP THE NUMBERS, THAT'S WHAT THE PERSON GETS THE, WHY ARE WE IT, YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT MAY BE A SMALL THING, BUT WE USED TO SEND YOU ALL DAY IS CAMEL'S NOSE UNDER THE TENT.
IT'S, UH, IT, IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURE.
WHAT, WHAT WHAT'S, WHY, WHY SHOULD WE BE SENDING A MESSAGE AS, AS A BOARD? I MEAN, I KNOW THIS HAS, IT'S GOING TO THE F YOU KNOW, TO THE, TO THE DELEGATE DELEGATION, BUT WHY, WHY, WHY SHOULD WE SUPPORT NEARLY TAKING VOTE AND DECIDING BEFOREHAND, WHO GETS TO COLLECT VOTES, WHO GETS TO ASSIGN VOTES? IF, IF, UH, IF, UH, IF, IF FIVE PARTIES WANT TO BACK THE SAME PERSON FOR WHATEVER OFFICE.
SO, BUT THEN MY OPINIONS, A LITTLE DIFFERENT ON THAT, BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT CANDIDATE A AND CANDIDATE B, BUT CANDIDATE B IS RUNNING FOR TWO DIFFERENT PARTIES FOR THE SAME POSITION.
SO LET'S SAY THAT THEY'RE WHATEVER, THEY'RE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PARTIES.
AND THIS PERSON'S THEIR PARTY.
THIS PERSON BEATS THIS PERSON IN BOTH RACES, BUT THIS PERSON WINS BECAUSE ALL OF THEIR VOTES FOR BOTH PARTIES WERE TALLIED TOGETHER.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL.
[00:50:03]
WELL, I I'M, I THAT'S BEING THE F THE FRONT END OF THE PROCESS IN MY MIND, SHOULD WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING, AND WE SHOULD BE PROMOTING PEOPLE BECOMING INVOLVED AND, AND BY DOING SO, IT SAYS TO THE, THE, THE FAMILY, THE FAMILY FARMER PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN AND THE, UH, WHATEVER PARTY YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD.AS LONG AS YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME.
CAN WE SAY NOTES? I DON'T A HUNDRED PERCENT DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT THEY CAN STILL SUPPORT OUR SIZE FOR THEM.
I CAN STILL SUPPORT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GOT TO PICK A PARTY.
WELL, YOU, YOU, YOU PICK A PERSON IN THEORY, YOU PICK A PERSON WHO REPRESENTS THEM.
THE PERSON REPRESENTS TWO PARTIES, AND WHICH PARTIES ARE GOING TO BE LOYAL.
WELL, I, I, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU TAKE CARE OF ALL THE LOW, THE LOYALTY ISSUES.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE TAP DANCING FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M JUST GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY UNDER A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THAT'S ALL, I'M, THAT'S ALL, I'M REALLY TRYING TO SAY HERE.
AND THAT'S IN A VERY GOOD JOB, BUT I EXPECT, BUT IT'S, IT'S THE NOTION THAT, YEAH.
JOIN THE, JOIN THE GROUT, JOIN THE FRAY.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE THE MOST VOTES TO WIN IT'S, YOU KNOW, WELL OR RUNOFF, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S MY THOUGHTS UNMUTE BROTHER DID.
AND WOULD THAT STILL NOT BE DETERMINED IF THEY ARE ON THE BALLOT ONCE, AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE TIMES, BECAUSE WHOMEVER, WHATEVER POTTY IS SUPPORTING THAT CANDIDATE, THE NE CANDIDATE, AND THEN THEIR VOTERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STILL GO IN BULLET FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO APPEAL ON THE, ON THE BALLOT MULTIPLE TIMES, RIGHT? HOLLY SEPTUM HASN'T BEEN, BUT I'M DOING IT.
WHEN UNDER, UH, UH, THREE BANNERS.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYBODY TO WIN.
WELL, AGAIN, I'M NOT, I DON'T, I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT WINNING AND LOSING.
I CARE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AS LONG, AS LONG AS THE PERSON IS QUALIFIED TO BE PLACED ON A BALLOT.
THAT'S IT LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.
I JUST DON'T THINK THEY SHOULDN'T BE ON THERE TWICE TO HAVE ALL THEIR VOTES ADDED UP FROM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I DUNNO, IT'S A LITTLE DISINGENUOUS TO ME.
MOST OF THE, MOST OF THE DISINGENUOUSNESS THAT I'M ABLE TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND HAPPENS LONG BEFORE THE VOTER SHOWS UP.
ARE WE IN FAVOR OF A CANDIDATE ONLY BEING ON THE BALLOT ONE TIME? UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ALL OPPOSED.
WELL, IT WILL BE ON, WE WILL BE IN FAVOR OF A CANDIDATE ONLY BEING ON THERE ONE TIME.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS, UM, HOUSE BILL THREE, FOUR, FOUR, FOUR.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S BEEN PASSED IN THE HOUSE ALREADY.
UM, THIS IS THE ONE THAT WANTS CONTINUITY AMONG PROCESSES ACROSS ALL 46 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, THE MAJOR CONTENTION WITH THIS BILL IS THAT THE USE OF THE WORDS PLAN AIRY AUTHORITY, WHICH THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO PLANARIA AUTHORITY.
I DO NOT KNOW THEM ALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I KNOW ONE MEANS ALL INCLUSIVE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, BUT THE ONE DEFINITION OF THE WORD PLANETARY MEANS ABSOLUTE.
SO THIS WOULD GIVE THE SEC ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY.
UM, I DO KNOW OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN WITH OUR HOUSE LEGISLATORS AND THEY SAID THAT IS NOT HOW THEY MEANT IT.
THEY DID NOT MEAN THAT THE SEC WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY, BUT THAT IS THE WAY THAT IT IS READING.
SO I THINK MY PERSONAL OPINION IS AT THE VERY LEAST THAT THAT PHRASE SHOULD BE CHANGED.
I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THE PROCESSES SHOULD BE THE SAME IN ALL COUNTIES.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL AS A STATE BE DOING THINGS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAKEUP OF THE COUNTIES IS DIFFERENT, BUT I, FOR ONE DO NOT THINK THAT THE SEC NEEDS ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER EVERY THING THAT THE BOARDS DO.
[00:55:03]
GO AHEAD, BERNADETTE.I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE, UM, AUTONOMY OLDER, THE WHOLE PROCESS OVER THE WHOLE SEAT BECAUSE EACH, UM, EACH AREA THE DEMOGRAPHICS IS DIFFERENT AND AS WAS STATED IN OUR, UH, PROCESS ABOUT THE FUNDING, UM, BETWEEN, WITHIN THE DISTRICTS, WITHIN THE COUNTIES.
SO I AGREE WHAT WE HAVE HIM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I AGREE THAT WE WOULD DO DULY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH WHATEVER POWERS AND AUTHORITIES THAT ARE GRANTED TO US BY THE CURRENT LAWS.
SO I, YES, JIM, IF, IF, IF THERE IS, THERE'S ONE PART ABOUT THIS BILL, SPECIFICALLY THREE TRIPLE FOUR, THAT, THAT, THAT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA USE A TOURNAMENT.
I WILL EXPLAIN WHY I'M USING IT REVEALS THE TRUE IDENTITY AND POSTURE OF IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT THINK THIS IS, THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE ACTION TO TAKE, READ THE BILL AND THEN READ IT AGAIN.
AND IT'LL BE, IN MY MIND, IT LEFT NO DOUBT THAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS BEING SOUGHT TO CONTROL, LOCK STEP, THE VOTING PROCESS IN THIS STATE.
IT'S JUST A FURTHER FURTHERING OF THAT ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE.
AND BOTH FOLKS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD TAKE IT.
AND THAT IS TO SEND A CONSENSUS OR CON OR CONCURRENT, UM, LETTER, IF WE FEEL THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE AND HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE, PARTICULARLY THIS IS PARTICULARLY PERNICIOUS IN MY JUDGMENT, IN BOTH ITS CONCEPT AND POSSIBLE APPLICATION NEEDS TO BE UNANIMOUS.
I LIKE THE WORDING OF THE SECOND LETTER THAT WAS SENT OUT, UM, THAT BASICALLY SAYS THE SEC SHOULD NOT NEED PLAN OR PRELIMINARY AUTHORITY.
AND AT THE VERY LEAST THAT STATEMENT SHOULD BE CHANGED.
THE VERBIAGE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED SO THAT THE SEC IS NOT GRANTED PLANARIA AUTHORITY.
UM, THAT IS THE ONE THAT I LIKED FROM THE SECOND LETTER.
UM, DOES ANYBODY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH, DOES ANYBODY ALL IN FAVOR OF USING THE VERBIAGE TO REACH OUT TO THE, TO PUT IN THIS LETTER THAT WE THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED? THE SEC DOES NOT HAVE PLANARIA AUTHORITY.
SO I'LL USE THE VERBIAGE FROM THE SECOND LETTER.
AND THE LAST ONE IS SENATE BILL THREE 65.
UM, THIS WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT YOU GUYS THINK.
HOUSE SENATE BILL THREE 65 IS THE ONE THAT REQUIRES ALL REGISTERED VOTERS TO RENEW THEIR QUALIFICATIONS WITH THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE EVERY THREE YEARS.
I JUST, I DON'T KNOW, TO ME, SOMEONE JUST THOUGHT OF THAT, NOTE IT UP, BUT, UM, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT OR HOW THEY WOULD KEEP TRACK OF IT.
SO, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE REASONING, WHY THEY WOULD THINK TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF THOSE THAT HAVE DIED AND THOSE THAT HAVE MOVED.
AND, UH, BUT, UM, I DON'T, I JUST DON'T GET IT.
YOU DON'T GET DEAD PEOPLE VOTING ON A WIDE SCALE.
SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT HAPPENS ON A WIDE SCALE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, NOR DO I THINK IT'S AN ISSUE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I COULD UNDERSTAND IF MAYBE ONCE EVERY, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, THEY SEND YOU A LETTER MAYBE, AND YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO LETTER, YOU HAVE TO DO A MASS THING EVERY THREE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WOULD, HOW THEY WOULD EVEN DO THAT.
[01:00:01]
NAIL ON THE HEAD.CRAIG, MY ONLY THING WITH IT IS THE THREE YEARS.
I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I THINK OUR VOTER LOG BE THREE YEARS, LIKE WHO CAME UP WITH THREE WIDE.
OTHER THAN THAT, I AGREED TO DO SOME SORT OF RENEWAL OF SOME KIND AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE PUSHED.
I THINK THE, UM, THE COUNTY VOTING OPPOSITES SHOULD SEND A POSTCARD OR SOME TYPE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION TO SAY, HEY, ARE YOU STILL AT THIS ADDRESS? ARE YOU STILL, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE NOT, NOT ALL DEATH RECORDS EVER MAKE IT BACK TO VOTER REGISTRATION.
I KNOW WHEN I MOVED, THE LAST THING I'M THINKING ABOUT IS UPDATING VOTER REGISTRATION.
THERE ARE PROCESSES IN PLACE ALREADY THAT, UM, WE HAVE, UM, AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE STATES.
THAT'S NOTIFY US WHEN THERE IS, UH, ONE OF OUR VOTERS WHO REREGISTER IN THEIR STATE.
AND THERE'S ALSO A LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NOTIFY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION OF A DEATH.
WHEN SOMEONE DIES WITH INTERSTATE, THE PRIMARY ISSUES THAT WE ARE SEEING IS PRETTY MUCH, UM, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE REGISTERED VOTERS, BUT DIE OUT OF STATE.
AND SO THAT PROCESS MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, BUT THERE ARE, UM, EFFORTS GOING ON WHERE PEOPLE CAN NOTIFY EITHER THE STATE OFFICE OR THE LOCAL COUNTY OFFICES TO INFORM THEM OF A LOVED ONE PASSING AWAY.
AND, UM, WHEN WE GET WORD OF SOMEONE PASSING, WE GET IT ALL THE TIME.
AFTER EVERY ELECTION, A SPOUSE WOULD GO TO THE POLLS TO VOTE AND SEE THAT THEIR DECEASED SPOUSE NAME IS STILL ON THE ROAD.
THEY WILL NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT DOING GRIEVING PROCESS TO NOTIFY THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE THAT THEIR LOVED ONE PASSED AWAY.
UM, THAT'S USUALLY ONE OF THE SEC, YOU KNOW, THE FANCIEST THING FROM THEIR MINDS.
SO THAT PROCESS DOES WORK ITS WAY THROUGH EVENTUALLY.
UM, SOME OF THEM SLIP BETWEEN THE CRACKS WHERE WE NEVER GET NOTIFICATION, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE, UH, WHERE POSTCARDS ARE SENT OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS FROM THE STATE OFFICE TO VOTERS.
AND THOSE ARE THE VOTERS THAT YOU WILL SEE SHOW UP ON OUR ROLES AS, UM, POSSIBLY MOVED OR, UH, WE WILL TAG THEM IF THEY SHOW UP TO VOTE, UM, IN ONE MAJOR ELECTION, THEN WE WILL TAKE THAT, UM, CERTIFICATION OFF OF THEIR NAMES.
BUT IF THEY DO NOT SHOW UP FOR TWO GENERALS ELECTION, THEN THEY WILL BE PURGED AND PUT IN AN INACTIVE, UM, FILE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS I GOT WERE TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE LETTER AND SOME WERE TO NOT INCLUDE IT.
LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND GO ON THE RECORD, WHO WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE OUR POSITION.
I'M NOT EITHER FOR, OR AGAINST EITHER WAY IN THIS LETTER.
WELL, THOSE ARE BOTH THOSE WHO ARE FOR GIVING UP POSITION IN THIS LETTER REGARDING SENATE BILL THREE 65, THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED, OKAY, NOW WE NEED TO TURN ON WHAT'S OUR POSITION.
ARE WE FOR IT? OR ARE WE AGAINST IT? I WOULD BE AGAINST IT.
THERE'S A SYSTEM ALREADY IN PLACE.
SO WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN? SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD SET.
MAYBE WE SHOULD SAY THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF THERE'S ALREADY, UM, PROCESSES AND POLICIES PUT IN PLACE.
WHY MAYBE IT FEELS A LITTLE REDUNDANT TO DO IT EVERY THREE YEARS, NOT REDUNDANT.
IT'S JUST NOT NECESSARY, NOT OKAY.
UM, QUICKLY, UH, IN LOOKING AT, IN LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU HAD IN FOR THREE 65 IN THE ORIGINAL LETTER, THE FIRST LETTER, UM, I LIKE THE LANGUAGE IN YOUR FIRST LETTER, A LOT, A LOT MORE.
UH, AND, AND THE REASON I DO, BUT THERE'S A REASON I DO.
AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT IT ISN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE DECIDED LONG AGO IN THIS MEETING WHERE
[01:05:01]
WE THINK WE NEED TO HAVE BOTH THE SENATORS AND THE REPS NAMES ON LETTER.WELL, THIS WILL PLACE A STAKE IN THE GROUND FOR OUR, FOR OUR GOOD FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR SENATORS CAMPS, DAVIS AND, UH, MATTHEW.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, WE, AREN'T JUST THROWING OUT THERE AND SUPER SEE WHAT STICKS.
UH, WE'RE MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THIS BOARD IS MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT WE FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR PRACTICE IS ODIOUS AT BEST.
UM, IT, IT, I LIKED, I LIKED THE LANGUAGE, THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, MOST GENE, I GOTTA TELL YOU, UH, THIS IDEA OF, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT YOURSELF DUE TO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS BASED ON AGE MEANS CREATING LAWS AND MANDATES THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY KEEP IN INDIVIDUALS FROM EXERCISING, THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE IS BOTH UNETHICAL.
DO WE KEEP THE LANGUAGE FROM THE FIRST LETTER OR DO WE REWRITE IT? IF YOU AGREE TO KEEP THE LANGUAGE FROM THE FIRST LETTER WHO, WHO AGREES? ALL RIGHT.
I'LL KEEP THE LETTER FROM, UH, THE LANGUAGE FROM THE FIRST LETTER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, UM, CONCLUDES OUR DEBATE OVER THE LEGISLATIVE LETTER.
SO I'LL MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES AND I'LL SEND IT OUT TO YOU GUYS.
AND I GUESS WE'LL JUST DO AN EASY VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT IT MEETS THE APPROVAL OF EVERYBODY.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU GUYS DO AN ELECTRONIC VOTE ON THAT VIA EMAIL? KEEP IN MIND, KEEP IN MIND, BOTTOM LINE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW, REACHING A VOTER AT A DIFFERENT TIME IN OUR LIVES.
HOPEFULLY NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
CAUSE I, I HEARD THE TERM COMPLETE AND THAT GUY, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO BACK OFF A BIT.
SO IT'LL JUST BE A GENERAL CONSENSUS, RIGHT? UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR, YES, BERNADETTE, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT, THAT A YOUTUBE VIDEO BE A PART OF OUR MINUTES SO THAT IF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO VIEW IT, THAT THEY WILL HAVE, IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THAT DESK INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES FOR THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE ROUND TABLE.
UM, SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, MARIE DID NOT HAVE A DIRECTOR'S REPORT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD MARIE? YES.
TWO THINGS, MAYBE THREE THINGS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, MR. ATKINSON, UH, COUNTY THAT, UH, ASSISTANT KENDALL, UM, HE IS BEEN IN THE MEETING THE WHOLE TIME AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY WHAT IN THE WORLD'S GOING ON, BUT, BUT WE HAVE VOTER REGISTRATION.
AND, UM, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN COPIED, UH, MR. CLIFFORD IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT HE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON FINDING ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACE FOR A VOTING MACHINE AS A PART OF THE, AS A CHAIRPERSON FOR THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE A REPORT TODAY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY FINAL INFORMATION.
HOPEFULLY AT THE MEETING, THAT'S THE CLIFF.
IT WILL BE BACK AND WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING THAT HE CAN BRING TO THE BOARD, UH, FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UM, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? SURE.
WE, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STORAGE SPACE, OUR FACILITIES GROUP, UM, AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS ARE WORKING ON THAT NOW.
SO WE HOPE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION TO THAT VERY SOON.
AND ALSO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALSO INFORM THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE A BRAND NEW EMPLOYEE.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN ON BOARD SINCE THE 15TH OF THIS MONTH.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE OUR FULL STAFF ON BOARD.
SO SHE'S IN THE TRAINING AND HOPEFULLY SHE WILL BE, SHE'S VERY SMART.
HER NAME IS LATERA GRANT AND, UM, SHE SHE'S A LOCAL, SHE HAS A DEGREE IN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WILL HELP ALL OF US OUT AROUND THIS PLACE.
AND, UM, SO SHE IS EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT THE ELECTION PROCESS AND, UM, UH, WHEN SHE WAS OFFERED THE POSITION, CHRIS SAID THAT SHE SQUEALED YOU WERE ON THE PHONE BRIEFLY EARLIER.
SO I WAS EXCITED THAT SHE WAS EXCITED TO COME TO WORK FOR US.
SHE SAID SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT.
SO I FEEL THAT WE HAVE A GOOD EMPLOYEE ON BOARD AND, UM, BY THE MEXICAN LEXI, SHE SHOULD BE UP TO SNUFF ON A LOT OF OUR PRACTICES, PROCESSES AND OUR PROCEDURES.
SO WHEN YOU COME BY THE OFFICE
[01:10:01]
OR IN THE BUFORD AREA, STOP BY AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO HER AS A BOARD MEMBER AND NG.AND YOU MIGHT BE DOING THIS AS REMINDING EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE THEY DO THE ETHICS REPORT BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.
DID WE GET ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO.
I WAS JUST GOING TO REMIND ABOUT THE ETHICS STRONGER IS THE OFFICE OPEN NOW? IS EVERYBODY IN THE OFFICE HERE? YOU'RE ON MUTE.
WE ARE ALWAYS A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK.
WE'RE WORKING FROM HOME AND SOME ARE WORKING FROM OTHER WAYS.
WE ARE WORKING, UM, UH, A REDUCED SCHEDULE AT LATERA BEING IN TRAINING.
SHE WILL BE HERE IN FULL, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, ALMOST THE WHOLE FULL STAFF HERE.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION, YOU KNOW, I GOT THIS BRACKET IN THE MAIL THAT HAD ALL OF OUR INFORMATION FROM THE LAST MEETING.
IS THAT SOMETHING NEW? WE ALL DID.
THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE AND HAS ALL THE DOCUMENTS SO THAT WE HAD A HARD COPY AND I MADE HER TRY IT WHEN I FIRST OPENED IT.
I THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT A WASTE? AND THEN I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT IT.
I THOUGHT THERE WERE STUFF I WAS MISSING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SENDING THAT OUT.
I THINK IT REALLY, IT REALLY HELPED ME A LOT.
SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD JUST SEND YOU A PACKAGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. ROWE.
AND THEN BERNADETTE, THANK YOU, MARIE.
I NOTICED THAT SCALE HAS A FULL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN IT PLEASE? THOSE ARE THE SAME PRIORITIES WE ALWAYS HAD.
WE, I REMEMBER THE FIRST THREE, BUT THEN NOW THERE'S A FOURTH ONE, IMPROVE ELECTION SECURITY BY SYNCHRONIZING SIX SINKING DMV CHANGES WITH VOTER REGISTRATION.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? UM, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING ON OUR WISHLIST THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, ALL IT MEANS IS THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING VOTERS WHO GO TO US, JUST SAY CITIZENS WHO ARE GOING TO DMV, HAVING AN OPTION OUT OF BEING A REGISTERED VOTER, THEY WOULD HAVE TO OPT OUT OF, OF BEING, YOU KNOW, WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE REGISTERED.
SO THEY WILL LIKELY BE REGISTERED WHEN THEY GO THROUGH DMV.
AND IF THEY DO WANT TO BE REGISTERED, THEN THEY HAVE TO OPT OUT.
SO IT WOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DMV ABOUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW, THAT'S JUST THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BILLS DEFINITELY INTRODUCED.
UM, SO WE ARE JUST WATCHING THAT CLOSELY AS WELL.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON.
I JUST WANT TO, BEFORE I GET THERE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY.
I WAS EXPECTING IT TO BE CONTENTIOUS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S DIFFERING VIEWS IN THIS NOT BEING IT COULD'VE GONE REALLY BAD.
AND I THINK THAT IT WENT WELL.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, OUR NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE APRIL 28TH AT 2:00 PM.
AND THAT ONE WILL ALSO BE A VIRTUAL MEETING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED
[01:15:20]
THE COUNTY JAIL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.WATCH NOW CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA.
TODAY MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED.
THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS THE LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW.
ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT IN 1975, THE HOME RELAXED, GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY BEFORE COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THEMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KAISER LING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE AND BOOKER WASHINGTON.
AS THE NEW COUNSEL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF.
COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTIONS IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN.
YEAH, CONSTELLIUM WAS A MEMBER OF KIND OF COUNSEL AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BUFORD COUNTY.
WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK AT SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET.
AND THEN WE'D PUT THEM IN PILES, YOU KNOW, LIKE GOOD, BAD, MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SALE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS AND NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE SEALS COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS MARSHLANDS AND MARITIME FOREST.
THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL, THE PIG, SOME OF THE COUNTIES DISTINGUISHING FEATURES, ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLANDS.
I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASS WHAT WE AS A BODY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SEAL.
IT WOULD WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT.
IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BUFORD COUNTY.
SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE HOLD THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BUFORD COUNTY, COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS AN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT, THAT IF WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SLIM WAS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BUFORD COUNTY, THEY IT'S A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT WAS ZANY TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TIGHTENED BOAT.
AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECTS OF YOUTH AND KIND OF LAUGH BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLAYERS AND RECREATION THE FISHING AND THE BEACH.
SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEEF COUNTY CULTURE STRIPPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME WOULD BE REFLECTED ON
[01:20:01]
THE SEAL.THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THE LATE LEE PAIN, HIS DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE, HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY CULTURE AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BUFORD COUNTY TO SEE MORE BUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS, GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF OUR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION TO HELP US EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION IN THIS PROJECT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT LIKE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE, UH, REGISTERED TO VOTE AND INVOLVED IN THE, UM, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR.
AND HOW DID THEY GET INVOLVED WITH VOTING AND DECIDED WE'D START THERE RATHER THAN TO START VOTER REGISTRATION WITH OLDER ADULTS.
SO WE STARTED WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE AGES, 16 AND ABOVE, AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE AND HOW VOTING IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WE PARTNERED WITH THE BUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION ON ELECTIONS, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE AND WE WANT TO DO OUR FAIR SHARE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO DO AS THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WENT INTO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF VOTING FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE, UH, WITH THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ISSUING VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.
AND THIS WAS ALL DONE WITH THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR SCHOOL COUNCIL.
I'M ALSO THE ADVISOR FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I WANTED TO INVOLVE THE WHOLE SCHOOL AND GIVE A REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE ABOUT BULLYING.
YOU KNOW, VOTING IS LIKE A DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
THAT'S HOW WE, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD, A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD HERE IN AMERICA.
SO THAT'S YOUR ONE VOICE, BUT BRINGING MANY VOICES TOGETHER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CHANGE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY ALL WORKS.
THERE'S STUDENTS THAT THEY REALLY GOT INVOLVED.
UM, MOST OF THEM WERE NERVOUS AND SOME OF THEM, WE ACTUALLY RAN A REGISTRATION PROCESS.
SO WE SET UP IN OUR CAFETERIA MAYBE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
AND AS STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME OVER AND VISIT THE, AND ACTUALLY FILL OUT A VOTER REGISTRATION COP CARD IS WHAT WE CALLED IT.
THIS IS A, AN ENLARGED VERSION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
UM, AT THE TOP, IT SAYS, ARE YOU A STUDENT AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY? THE STUDENT WOULD CHECK YES OR NO.
IF YES, WILL YOU BE BE BETWEEN FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE ON ELECTION DAY.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, THEY WILL NEED TO REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY FILLED OUT.
AND IF IT WERE TRUE TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WOULD SIGN IT.
THEY BROUGHT IN FOUR MACHINES.
AND IN THIS SETUP IN A CLASSROOM, SEE, ONE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO FILTER THROUGH C1 WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD AND WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD, THEY WERE ABLE TO WALK TO THE TABLE, SIGNED IN AND THEN WALK OVER TO THE VOTING MACHINES TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, OR A TREASURER.
THE KIDS WERE ASTATIC ABOUT DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY REALIZE AT THAT MOMENT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS THAT THE CANDIDATES FOR CAMPAIGNING, THEY MADE POSTERS, UM, CAMPAIGN POSTERS, AND THEY WERE GOING OUT GIVING SPEECHES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHAN T AND I'M RUNNING FOR STUDENT COUNCIL.
PRESIDENT STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN.
SO WE RECORDED SOME CAMPAIGN ADS FOR OUR MORNING TELEVISION NEWS SHOW RSI TODAY.
UM, THOSE EDGE, UH, ROTATED IN AIR DAILY JUST AS IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR, FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THE TICKET FROM THE, UH, BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS.
THEY PRINT A TICKET WITH ALL THE RESULTS FROM THE POLLS.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE CREATED THAT AND TURN THAT INTO A GRAPHIC AND SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION.
THAT WAY THE VOTES ARE N I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MAYBE NOT SURPRISING, IT KIND OF REINFORCED THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE THAT ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER LOST FAITH
[01:25:01]
IN THE SYSTEM, OR THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS.AND THEY PASS THAT ON TO YOUNG PEOPLE, SUCH THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NOW FEEL AS THOUGH, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I VOTE OR NOT VOTE AND THAT'S WHO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH.
SO WE CAN CHANGE THAT KIND OF THINKING AND PERHAPS EVEN GET THEM TO RE-ENGAGE THEIR CAREGIVER OR THEIR PARENTS ARE OTHER ADULTS IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I WANTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT.
SO I RAN AND I HAD TO DO A SPEECH FOR, UM, TO GO ON OUR DAILY NEWS.
AND SO AFTER I DID THE SPEECH, I WAITED ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO, AND THEN WE VOTED AND I GOT THE PAPER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DID.
AND I HAD TO DO THE PAPER AND I GOT MY CARD AND WE WENT TO GO VOTE.
AND OBVIOUSLY I VOTED FOR MYSELF.
SO I USUALLY SEE, LIKE, MY PARENTS USUALLY TELL ME, WELL, I'M GOING TO GO VOTE.
AND I ALWAYS WONDER, LIKE, WHAT IS IT LIKE? SO TO ACTUALLY GET THE EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY USE IT, IT FELT, IT FELT REAL DURING THE PROJECT.
UM, THE STUDENTS WHERE I WAS KIND OF HELPING OUT AT THE BOOTH, THEY KIND OF CAME OVER AND ASKED, UM, WAS IT THE POLL THAT THEIR PARENTS ACTUALLY USED? SO IT KIND OF GAVE THEM THAT REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT MOM AND DAD DO DURING THE VOTING VOTING TIME.
IN THE PAST, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WORK WITH, UM, OUR AGING POPULATION.
WE WENT OUT TO, UM, NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, REGISTERING PEOPLE, EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS THERE ON, UM, VOTING REGISTER, UH, IN OUR COUNTY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE ALREADY FOR MAJOR ELECTIONS.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO DO IT, UH, CONTINUE TO DO IT FOR ALL CITIZENS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, DOING GENERAL ELECTION YEARS, WE GO OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS, AND WE TRAIN THEM ON BECOMING POLL MANAGERS AND THEY PARTICIPATE WITH US DURING OUR GENERAL ELECTIONS, WORKING THE PRECINCT AS A POLL MANAGER.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST KIDS, UM, THAT WE HAVE WORKING AT THOSE PRECINCTS WORKING WITH US CITIZENS.
BUT THE PART THAT WAS MOST, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THEM VOTE.
MANY OF THEM HAD NEVER SEEN A VOTING MACHINE.
THEY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE HAS HAD NOT VOTED.
SO WENDELL WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING AND COMING IN AND DOING A TUTORIAL WITH THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS, THE STAFF, THEY WERE JUST EXCITED TO THE STUDENTS.
UM, THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH SOME OF THE LESSONS.
UM, AND JUST TO SHOW WHERE THINGS WERE IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND HOW VOTED VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES CAME ABOUT.
UM, IT TAKES EVERY, EVERY VOTE THAT'S OUT THERE VERSUS JUST ME SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TODAY.
SO WITH US INSTILLING, UM, THIS AUTHENTIC LESSON IN LIFE OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE, UM, WE HOPE THAT IT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO VOTE AT 18, THEY MAKE IT AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND FOR THE COUNTRY.