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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
I CALLED THIS MEETING AT A BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION
[I. Call to Order Followed by Pledge of Allegiance]
AND ELECTIONS.IF YOU, FOR COUNTY TO ORDER, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE, EVERYBODY PLEASE RISE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE DIVINE AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WANTED TO FIRST RECOGNIZE MS. AUDRA ANTONOVSKY.
SHE IS THE ASSISTANT TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
[II. Public Comments (Please limit comments to 5 minutes)]
COUPLE OF PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE.WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS OR ADDRESS THE BOARD? NO.
WELL THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[III. Minutes from Meetings on:]
WE'VE GOT A FEW MINUTES THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED.THE FIRST ONES ARE FROM THE SECTOR.
UM, WE'VE GOT A FEW CHANGES TO MAKE TO THESE IN NOVEMBER.
SO THOSE WERE SENT BACK OUT TO YOU THIS LAST WEEK.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 29TH? SO I HAVE A QUICK PAGE FOUR.
OH, YOU MADE THE CORRECTION ALREADY? YES.
I HAD THE OWN UPDATES DOWN HERE ON THE FACILITIES OF THE BLUFFTON OFFICE SECURITY.
AND SO THAT WE ACCEPT THE SEPTEMBER 29TH MINUTES.
NEXT, THE NOVEMBER 4TH CANVAS HEARING, UM, AND ALL OF THE FAIL, SAFE AND PROVISIONAL BALLOTS.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE? SO MOVED SECOND, SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR.
AND LASTLY ARE THE MINUTES FROM OUR NOVEMBER 4TH BOARD MEETING.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE? THEY HAVE A CORRECTION ON PAGE TWO.
OH, YOU HAVE A CORRECTION ON PAGE TWO, THE THIRD BULLET.
UM, AFTER THE CORRECTION IS WHAT'S THAT CORRECTION BEING MADE? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT WITH THE CORRECTION SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR.
[IV. Unfinished Business]
BUSINESS.SO I SEE IT IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETING, I CANNOT BE BOTH THE SECRETARY AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS BOARD.
SO CRAIG HAS AGREED TO BE THE SECRETARY FOR OUR MEETINGS.
SO, UM, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT CRAIG AS A SECRETARY OF OUR BOARD? ALL THE POSTS.
CRAIG WILL BE THE SECRETARY OF OUR BOARD.
YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT MY IDD WHEN IT KICKS UP BUTTERFLIES.
[V. Committee Reports]
REPORTS, UM, FACILITIES, COMMITTEE, WRONG.SO WE WILL, UM, PASS THAT COMMITTEE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT COMMITTEE, THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
UM, IF WE WANT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE SECURITY
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HAS BEEN INSTALLED.IT HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO THE NETWORK, UM, AT THE NEW FACILITY.
THAT'S WHEN IT WOULD TALK ABOUT THE WORKSPACE.
HAS THAT BEEN COMPLETED? THE WAREHOUSE SPACE? I NOTICED.
FINANCE COMMITTEE, CRAIG, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, BERNADETTE, NOTHING TO REPORT.
OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING WILL BE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE THIRD AT FOUR 30.
THEY SAID VIRTUAL VIRTUAL IS FINE.
FEBRUARY 3RD, FULL 30 VIRTUAL.
IF YOU SET IT UP FOR US, PLEASE.
THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE BERNADETTE.
IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? YES, MA'AM.
THE PRECINCT REAPPORTIONMENT COMMITTEE BEVERLY DOOR IS OUR CHAIR, BUT SHE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY.
UM, WE ACTUALLY MET ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AT 2:00 PM AT THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE, ELAINE JIM ROWE, UM, MARIE MYSELF, BEVERLY, UM, VERNON WAS IN ATTENDANCE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING OR PRECINCT ING, UH, RE PRECINCT THINGS.
SO THE LINES HAVE BEEN DRAWN FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND SO NOW, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE NUMBERS, THE VOTING AGE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, IT'S THE VOTING AGE POPULATION, NOT NECESSARILY THE REGISTERED VOTERS IN EACH PRECINCT.
SO THOSE NEED TO BE DOWNSIZED SO THAT THERE'S LESS THAN 1500 OF VOTERS OVER THE AGE OF 18 IN THOSE PRECINCTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START WORKING ON THOSE.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 21ST AT THIS TIME.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START, UM, WORKING ON REDRAWING THE LINES AND MOVING THINGS AROUND TO GET THOSE VOTERS DOWN.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO GET UNDER, I MEAN, OUR GOAL IS TO GET, UM, 1500 LEGALLY.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET LESS THAN THAT BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UM, HAVING BIRTHDAYS TO PUT THEM IN THE VOTER AGE OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REGISTERING TO VOTE ARE EVER CHANGING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO IF WE GET IT BELOW THAT, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS POTENTIALLY FOR HOPEFULLY ANOTHER 10 YEARS, WE WOULD HATE TO HAVE TO DO IT SOONER.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT WE WANTED THE COMMISSIONERS TO BE AWARE OF IS IN THE EVENT THAT IN YOUR PRECINCTS, WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO CREATE SEVERAL MORE PRECINCTS IN ORDER TO MEET OUR GOAL.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED NEW PLACES FOR THOSE PRECINCTS.
NOW, IN SOME CASES, THAT MIGHT BE A CAUSE THERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE PRECINCTS AS IT IS.
SO IN SOME CASES IT MIGHT BE JUST ADDING ANOTHER PRECINCT TO THAT LOCATION.
BUT IN OTHER INSTANCES, WE MIGHT NEED A WHOLE NEW LOCATION ENTIRELY.
SO, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF THIS FIN COMPLETED BY JUNE, NOT BY THE PRIMARY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST HAVE THIS DONE BY JUNE SO THAT WE'VE GOT AMPLE TIME TO NOTIFY VOTERS OF THEIR NEW POLLING LOCATIONS BY THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
SO FOR ALL OF YOU JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEW LOCATIONS, UM, THAT WE MAY NEED TO.
AND WHO KNOWS? I MEAN, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ALL OF THE NUMBERS.
I DON'T EVEN THINK WE HAVE ALL OF THEM YET, BUT, UM, YOU MAY NOT END UP HAVING TO HAVE NEW PRECINCTS, BUT JUST BE TO BE PREPARED TO HELP US OUT.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ON? NO, SHE DID MENTION THOUGH THAT SHE WANTED ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO REVIEW THEIR LISTS AND UM, IF WE NEED HELP, SHE SAID
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THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT HELP WHEN YOU NEED, IN CASE WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE LINES, LIKE IN MY PRESET AREA, UM, BELFAIR, WE HAVE TO REALLY KNOW WHERE THE LINES ARE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST GO THROUGH SOMEONE'S HOUSE AND THEY HAVE LIKE 6,000 AND THEY, AND THEY ONLY HAVE ONE PRESET WHERE THEY VOTE RIGHT THERE AND THE AFFAIR.SO I KNOW I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT DILIGENTLY.
WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE ALL THE VOTER AGE POPULATION NUMBERS TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR PRECINCTS, BY THE NEXT MEETING, THAT'S AT LEAST OUR GOAL SO THAT YOU GUYS WILL KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM AREAS ARE.
UM, THAT WOULD BETTER HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU NEED NEW LOCATIONS AND WHATNOT.
WE ALL DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY, WE WORKING WITH OUR GIS DEPARTMENT TO, UM, UH, FROM VOTING AGE POPULATION TO ACTUAL REGISTER.
SO BY THE TIME YOU HAVE NEW MEXICO, WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE YES.
THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS 10 YEARS AGO, IT'S ON EVERY 10 YEARS IN THE CENSUS COMES OUT BLUFFTON, ONE NAME ON THE MAP 10 YEARS AGO.
WELL, IT WAS, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY HUGE.
SO BLUFFTON IS REALLY BLUFFTON AND HILTON HAD ARE PROBABLY THE TWO BIG HOT SPOTS.
I WOULD THINK IT WAS MORE BLUFFTON THAN HILTON HEAD.
CAUSE HILTON HEADS ALL BUT RUN OUT OF AND WROTE IT TO DEFINE ADDITIONAL POLLING LOCATIONS IN THE LONDON AREA AND MAYBE A FEW IN HILTON HEAD, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO PAY SOME ATTENTION TO NORMAL BRA.
IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OTHERS THAT KNOW AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SAID BY JUNE, DO YOU MEAN THE LOCATIONS BY JUNE OR WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE WINES COMPLETED AND LOCATIONS BY JUNE.
OUR DROP DEAD TIMEFRAME IS BY AUGUST, BUT WE WANT TO GIVE AMPLE TIME.
CAUSE WE HAVE TO NOTIFY ALL THE VOTERS IF THEIR NEW LOCATION.
SO THE SOONER WE CAN COMPLETE THAT, THE BETTER.
SO THE GOAL WE'VE SET FOR OURSELF IS TO HAVE IT DONE BY JUNE SO THAT WE'RE NOT LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, UM, HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT HURRYING UP AND GETTING THESE NOTIFICATIONS OUT THAT'S FROM NOVEMBER 4TH, SET, IT HAD TO BE DONE BY MARCH 16TH.
WE WILL HAVE, PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT CANDIDATE FILINGS TAKE PLACE.
AND SO THERE ARE THAT WE WILL TALK TO DO SO, WHATEVER WORKS FOR THE DOCTOR PROCESS, WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS TALKING MORE ABOUT IS ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACES.
UM, WE DON'T WANT TO TRY AND CHANGE POLLING PLACES.
UM, UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO KNOW THE FINAL CLARIFICATION, WHEN WE REVIEW OUR LIST, WHAT IS ACTUALLY, ARE WE REVIEWING GOING FULL? SO WHEN YOU GET THE NUMBERS, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE NUMBERS.
IT SAYS, UM, LIKE ONE OF MY LOCATIONS IS THE BURTON WELLS REC CENTER.
THE BURN WALL'S REC CENTER HAS 2,700 IN IT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THAT DOWN TO 1500, WHICH MEANS OUR LINES FOR OUR PRECINCTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REDRAWN.
AND IT'LL SPLIT UP NOW IN SOME CASES, IF IT'S NOT 2,700, IF IT'S JUST, IN SOME CASES, IT MIGHT BE AS LITTLE AS JUST MOVING, MAYBE THIS STREET OVER INTO A DIFFERENT PRECINCT.
BUT IN SOME CASES WE'RE LIKE CUTTING IT IN HALF THE VOTERS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO VOTE AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
SO WHAT YOU'LL GET IS THOSE NUMBERS AND 1500 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A PRECINCT THAT'S WELL ABOVE 1500, YOU CAN BET THAT ONE'S BEING SPLIT.
NOW HOW DOES THE AGE OF THE VOTERS IMPACT? SO OUR INFORMATION THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN SO FAR IN THIS IS WHAT MARIE WAS SAYING.
SHE'S TRYING TO GIVE US THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN EACH PRECINCT, HOW THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE ARE IT'S VAT, VOTER, VOTING AGE POPULATION.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE, AND I'M JUST GOING TO USE A SMALL NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S EASY.
LET'S SAY THERE'S A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN A PRECINCT.
MAYBE ONLY 80 OF THEM ARE OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE, BUT MAYBE ONLY 20 OF THEM ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
SO IT'S THE POTENTIAL FOR HOW MANY VOTERS WE HAVE IN THAT AREA, IF THEY WEREN'T ALL REGISTERED TO VOTE IN OUR DOWN.
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OKAY.DID I EXPLAIN THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY.
I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THAT ON MONDAY, SO, AND THAT'S WHY THE NUMBER IS 1500, SO YOU CAN POTENTIALLY GROW.
AND DON'T HAVE TO REDO IT AGAIN ANYTIME SOON.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD FOR YOU, MARIE? OKAY.
UM, NEXT, UH, THE RULES COMMITTEE, MR. ROWE IS NOT HERE, BUT THAT COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET EITHER.
[VI. New Business]
THE APPROVAL OF THE BOARD MEETING 2020 TO SCHEDULE, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK IT OVER.DOES ANYBODY SEE PROBLEMS OR HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? OKAY.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED SECOND, SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR.
[VII. Director’s Report]
I WILL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR MA'AM TODAY.WE WILL SWEETLY TALK ABOUT, LET ME JUST STAND UP.
I CAN HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, UPDATES, UPDATES.
IF AT ALL, NOW THE RED BUTTON THERE, HE GAVE ME A THUMBS UP.
SO TODAY WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ELECTION UPDATES, FACILITY UPDATES, AND, UM, A FEW MISCELLANEOUS THINGS WE NEED TO JUST BRIEFLY MENTION NOW, UM, SOME OF THESE BILLS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HAVE BEEN PRETTY INVOLVED AND THEY WERE DONE PRIOR TO DECEMBER OF 20 WAS DONE PRIOR TO THE JANUARY OF 20, 22, BEFORE THEY WENT BACK INTO SESSION.
I NOTICED THAT A LOT OF THE SENATE BILLS, UM, AND THE HOUSE BILLS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR.
THEY ALL PRETTY MUCH SAY THE SAME THING, WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.
IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT SENATE BILL 8 92 AND THE THINGS THAT THEY PROPOSED, A NONE OF THESE HAVE COME IN FRONT OF THE LEDGER IN FRONT OF THE, UM, THE SENATE YET.
THEY WERE PRE-FILED I THINK RIGHT NOW THE SENATE IS KIND OF, OH, THEY WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE REDISTRICTING AGAIN, UM, OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
AND NOW THEY'RE MOVING ON TO THE BUDGET ON HOW THEY WANT TO SPEND ALL THAT LIVING THAT THEY HAVE.
AND I'M SURE EVENTUALLY IT'S STILL ABOUT HE EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BE, UM, TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY CHANGES TO OUR ELECTION LAWS.
AND, UM, WHAT I HAVE NOTICED ABOUT SOME OF THESE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, SOME OF THESE WE ARE ALREADY DOING IN BUFORD COUNTY IN OUR STATE.
UM, SO WE CAN GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND, THESE ARE JUST PROPOSE, UM, BILLS.
SO NONE OF IT IS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATORS YET.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED RIGHT NOW UNTIL IT GOES THROUGH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, UM, FOR FINAL APPROVAL IS JUST RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM, UH, WE CAN RE WE CAN READ THROUGH THEM SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO? JUST READ THROUGH THEM? SURE.
SO SENATE 8 92, AND A LOT OF THESE ARE AMENDING EXISTING LAWS.
UM, THESE ARE REQUIRING THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO DEVELOP SECURITY PROTOCOLS AND TO CERTIFY COMPLIANCE.
UM, AT LEAST ANNUALLY, YOU'VE BEEN HEARING THIS KIND OF STUFF BEING TALKED ABOUT IN THE NEWS.
UM, THEY JUST WANT, I GUESS, TIGHT SECURITY
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ON ELECTIONS, WHICH IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE PRETTY TIGHT, BUT SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS ARE.YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE STATE WEBSITE, UM, AND PULL UP THE BILL.
YOU MAY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ON HOW OR WHAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING SO FAR AS, UM, SECURITY PROTOCOLS.
IT'S ALSO REQUIRING SCC TO DEVELOP CERTAIN SECURITY PROTOCOLS FOR THE ELECTRONIC POLL BOOK.
THAT'S WHAT THE EPB MEANS AND TO CERTIFY COMPLIANCE AT LEAST ANNUALLY, UM, REQUIRE BALLOTS TO BE PRINTED ON PAPER WITH CERTAIN FEATURES.
UM, REQUIRE ANY OPTICAL SCAN VOTING SYSTEM TO BE CERTIFIED AS MEETING OR EXCEEDING THE MOST CURRENT FEDERAL VOTING SYSTEM STANDARDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF ALL OF OUR SYSTEM IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS FEDERAL, WAS CERTIFIED BY THE EAC AND BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IF THEY ARE ANY CHANGES OR ANY UPDATES TO THOSE, UM, REQUIREMENTS, OUR VOTING SYSTEM WILL HAVE TO COMPLY.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED.
IT ALSO PROHIBITS CERTAIN FUNCTIONALITIES AND FEATURES DOING VOTING REQUIRES ALL BALLOT CARDS TO BE SOURCED SOLELY BY FCC, UM, REQUIRES A VOTING SYSTEM TO BE CERTIFIED AS MEETING AND OR EXCEEDING MOST CURRENT FEDERAL VOTING SYSTEM STANDARDS, PROHIBIT CERTAIN FUNCTIONALITY AND FEATURES DOING, UM, VOTING AND REQUIRES CERTAIN ELECTRONIC RECORDS TO BE PRESERVED AS ELECTION RECORDS.
AND IT ALSO REQUIRES ALL VOTING MACHINE BALANCED TO BE SOURCED SOLELY BY FCC.
UM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE STATE ONLY USE A CERTAIN TYPE OF PAPER TO CREATE BALANCE IN BALLOT CARDS THAT WILL STOP.
WE CAN'T GO TO A, UM, UH, OUTSIDE VENDOR TO PURCHASE PAPER FOR ABOUTS.
UM, SENATE BILL 8 93 REQUIRES THE RETURN ON ENVELOPES TO BE MOCK RETURNED TO SENDER.
AND THE EVENTS ARE ENVELOPE IS UNDELIVERABLE, UM, DEFINE PROOF OF IDENTITY TO REQUIRE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICANTS, TO INCLUDE PROOF OR IDENTITY TO WALK TOGETHER WITH THE SIGN OF FOUR, UM, ASSIGN OATH AND PROHIBITS A PERSON FROM SERVING AS A WITNESS FOR MORE THAN FIVE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICANT PROVIDES THAT IF AN ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICANT FAILS TO INCLUDE, UM, THE REQUIRED PROOF OF IDENTITY, THEN THAT PERSON BALLOT WILL, MUST BE TREATED AS A PROVISIONAL BALLOT REVISES THE APPLICABLE PROCEDURES.
AND AMONG OTHER THINGS SPECIFY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MUST BE INCLUDED ON THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION AND WHATEVER OTHER CHANGES THE COMMITTEE COMES UP WITH EIGHT SENATE BILL 8, 9, 4 REQUIRES THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH RULES AND REGULATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION PERFORM BY PRIVATE ENTITIES AND REQUIRES THE COUNTY BOARD TO DATE STAMP ALL VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION DUE, UM, DELIVERED BY HAND OR BY MAIL.
UM, SENATE BILL 8 95, UM, FURTHER DEFINES THE SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTION COMMISSION.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DUTIES INCLUDE PERSON WHO DIED OUT OF STATE AND MONTHLY REPORTING.
AND I GUESS THIS IS TO THE STATE ELECTION BOARD, UM, AND CLARIFIES THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSIONS DUTY IN MAINTAINING AND ADMINISTERING THAT DATABASE REQUIRES SEC TO REMOVE VOTERS FROM THE OFFICIAL LIST OF ELIGIBLE VOTER WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF INFORMATION AFFECTING VOTER ELIGIBILITY, CLARIFY,
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UH, BILL 8, 9, 8 CLARIFY CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH A PERSON IS DEEMED TO HAVE CHANGED HIS DOMICILE FOR VOTING PURPOSES.AND TO REVISE THE FACTOR USED TO DETERMINE A PERSON INTENTION REGARDING HIS DONOR STYLE.
UM, NOW HOUSE BILL 45 23 PROVIDES THAT ANY VOTING SYSTEM PURCHASE FOR USE IN SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD UTILIZE HAND MARKED PAPER BALLOTS TABULATED BY OPTICAL SCANNERS.
AND, UM, HOW SPELL FORTY-FIVE 50 CREATES THE RE STORE ELECTION INTEGRITY.
NOW COMMITTEE THE R E I N COMMITTEE, WHICH EXAMINED ISSUES RELATED TO ELECTION INTEGRITY AS THE SECURITY OF THE VOTE, THE ACCURACY AND SECURITY OF THE ELECTION PROCESS, THE UNIFORMITY OF THE ELECTION PROCESSES ACROSS THE STATES, THE IMPACT AND ROLE OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION IN ISSUING SEPARATE INTERPRETATIONS GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION REGARDING THE ELECTION PROCESS, THE IMPACT AND THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY ON THE ELECTION PROCESS AND OTHER RE ELECTION RELATED ISSUES.
THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER APPROPRIATE FOR REVIEW.
WE HAVE A R E I N COMMITTEE BEFORE THOUGH THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BEFORE MY TIME.
AND, UM, HOUSE BILL 45 51 CREATES THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE AND REVIEW THE CONDUCT AND RESULTS OF THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, HOUSE BILL 26 21 REQUIRES THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ESTABLISH RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR VOTER REGISTRATION PERFORMED BY PRIVATE ENTITY.
AND I, I THINK THIS BILL, UM, MIMICS SOME OF THE, THE SENATE BILL, UM, REQUIRES THE COUNTY BOARD TO DATE STAMP ALL VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION DELIVERED BY HAND ALL BY MAIL.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? WHAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF A PRIVATE ENTITY, UM, SAY LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, UM, SORORITY OR FRATERNITY OR A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT'S OUT THERE DOING VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES IS MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, HOUSE BILL 46, 22 PRETTY MUCH SAYS SOME OF THE SAME THING THAT SOME OF THE SENATE BILL THAT I PREVIOUSLY READ SAID THAT I THINK ALL THE OTHERS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TYPE THING.
UM, SO THESE BILLS WERE INTRODUCED.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE COMING UP FOR DEBATE ON THE FLOORS, BUT IT AS AN ELECTION OFFICIAL, I THINK, UM, WE JUST NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT BECAUSE WHATEVER COMES UP AND GET PASSED, WE GONNA HAVE TO IMPLEMENT.
AND THAT'S ALL WE EVER DO IS OUR BOARD LOCAL BOARDS DON'T MAKE ELECTION LAWS, WE JUST IMPLEMENT THEM.
AND SO IT WILL OF COURSE REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING, NOT JUST FOR OFFICE STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR, UM, UH, POLL WORKERS.
WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PREPARATION FOR THE STATEWIDE PRIMARIES.
UM, THE REDISTRICTING IS A BIG ISSUE RIGHT NOW, TRYING TO GET INFLAMMATION AND GETTING PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DISTRICT, UM, BEFORE THE JUNE PRIMARY.
SO, SO THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON IN THE NEXT, UM, COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, THE JUNE PRIMARY IS SLATED JUNE 14TH AND OUR IN-PERSON ABSENTEE PRECINCT WILL BE OPEN.
UM, 29 DAYS PRIOR TO THAT, THE STATE GENERAL ELECTION IS SLATED FOR NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH AND THE, THE OFFICES THAT WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT,
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UM, WILL BE THE GOVERNOR AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE STATE TREASURER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE CONTROLLER GENERAL STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, ADJUNCT GENERAL, THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, OF COURSE, UM, IN OUR COUNTY.UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CON THE CONGRESSIONAL MAPS GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHETHER OR NOT, UM, WE WILL HAVE TO HOUSE, UH, TWO CONGRESSIONAL SEATS OR NOT.
SO RIGHT NOW I THINK DISTRICT ONE FOR SURE IS IN BEAVER COUNTY.
I DON'T CARE WHAT MAP YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
AND I'M PART OF DISTRICT SIX, AND THERE IS ALSO DISTRICT TWO, THAT WAS A PROPOSAL FOR DISTRICT TWO TO BE A PART OF BEAVER COUNTY.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND A LEGITIMATE PROPOSED MAP YET.
UM, WE WILL ALSO HAVE ALL OF THE HOUSE DISTRICT, THE LOCAL, WHICH WE'LL HAVE HOUSE 1 18, 1 21 21, 1 22, 1 23 AND 1 24 WILL BE ON ABOUT FOR THE COUNTY ON THE COUNTY LEVEL.
WE WILL HAVE THE SHERIFF, THE PROBATE JUDGE, THE COUNTY TREASURER, THE AUDITOR COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 4 6, 8, 9, 10, AND 11, AND SCHOOL BOARD, 2 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, AND 10, UH, COUNTY OFFICES.
UM, YOU WILL ALSO HAVE THE SALT AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT TWO AND THREE.
THE CITY OF BUFORD WILL BE ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT AS WELL.
THEY WILL HAVE TWO CITY COUNCIL SEATS UP FOR ELECTION.
THE TOWN OF HILTON HAND WE'LL HAVE THE MAYOR.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICTS WILL HAVE, UM, VOTING DISTRICT ONE, THREE AND FOUR.
AND FOR ALLEN WILL HAVE TWO SEATS IN THEIR PSD AS WELL.
UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, OH, WELL, I ALREADY SAID ALL THAT TO TONGUE APART.
IF THE CITY OF HARLEYSVILLE WE'LL HAVE TWO CITY COUNCIL SEATS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT? ISN'T THAT ALMOST ALL IN, IN JASPER COUNTY? UM, PART OF IT WAS ALMOST ALL IN JASPER COUNTY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME VOTERS IN THE CITY SEND CITY EIGHT AND BLUFFTON FOR, FOR A, A F SOME VOTERS AS WELL.
50 VOTERS AND 40 58 VOTERS AND LOOKING FOR A 30.
AND WHAT THAT WILL DO IS CREATE AN ADDITIONAL SPLIT IN THOSE PRECINCTS FOR THE CITY, A PARTY THOUGH.
IT'S THE SAME THAT WE DO IN THE CITY.
I MEAN, THE TONGUE OF THE EMBASSY.
SO ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR? OKAY.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE INTERCON SYSTEM IN THE BLUFFTON OFFICE HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND IT'S WORKING.
UM, WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE WENT BACK AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK, UM, ALL THE WIRES THAT WERE PUT UP IN THE CEILING WAS ON THE FLOOR, BUT THAT'S BEEN CORRECTED.
UM, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY UPDATES ON OUR STORAGE, UM, FOR THE STORAGE SPACE THAT WE WERE HAVING OUT THERE.
AND WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT PLACE? HARRIS PILLOW, THE FORM OF THE PILLOW, THE PILLOW, THE ALL PILLOW COMPANY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
WE MAYBE AUDRA KNOWS THEY AREN'T WORKING ON AND WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLIES.
SO WE HAVE SOME SUPPLY ISSUES.
OF COURSE, LET'S GO TO THE MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES.
THE SCARE MID-YEAR CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN BUFORD.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON ALL THE DETAILS ON GETTING THE CONFERENCE SITUATED.
AND, UM, I'M KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY CLASSES AT THE CONFERENCE, BUT IT WILL BE MOSTLY ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, INFORMATION, THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, OF COURSE, WE'LL ALWAYS DO A PRESENTATION ON WHATEVER'S GOING ON
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ON THE STATE LEVEL.AND I'M SURE WE WILL HAVE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE BEING THAT THE CONFERENCE WILL BE IN BUFORD.
I WILL ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND IF POSSIBLE, YOU WILL GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS WHEN WE FINALIZE THE AGENDA, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WOULD BE THERE.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE, UM, POWERPOINT IS MY APPOINTMENT TO THE, UM, EAC, UM, SERVING ON THE LOCAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
AND THIS IS MY BILL I'LL SERVE FOR TWO YEARS.
SO I WILL BE SENDING UP RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, THAT'S ONE OF MY ROLES IS TO SEND RECOMMENDATIONS TO AAFC ON ELECTION ISSUES.
AND, UM, WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS SO FAR.
THE FIRST MEETING WAS, UM, US GETTING SWORN IN AND IT'S A SERIOUS, UM, ROLE.
AND I'M ONE OF TWO PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, UM, OR THEY'RE TRYING TO GET REPRESENTATIVE IN ALL 50 STATES.
I THINK THERE'S 38 STATES THAT ARE REPRESENTED RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THE OTHER STATES ARE PENDING APPOINTMENTS.
BUT, UM, UM, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE MET TWICE.
THE SECOND MEETING THAT WE HAVE WAS TALKING ABOUT PRETTY MUCH SETTING UP, UM, SENDING IN RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT WE CAN DO FOR, UM, THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS.
SO FAR AS COMMUNICATING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLICS, TO THE VOTERS.
THE SAME THING THAT EAC ALWAYS DO IS, UM, IT'S A FEDERAL FEDERALLY APPOINTED, UM, ORGANIZATION.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OR RECOMMENDED BY THE PRESIDENT AND APPOINTED BY CONGRESS.
SO WE JUST A SUBDIVISION OF THAT.
UM, AND SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MEETINGS BECAUSE IT'S VERY EDUCATIONAL AND IT ALSO, UM, SHARE INFORMATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, THE NEWEST STAFF MEMBERS, THEY ARE ALL CERTIFIED BY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION.
AND I THINK ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS ARE CERTIFIED EXCEPT ONE.
AND THAT'S, AND HE IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET CERTIFIED.
UM, IS HAVING A PROBLEM, GETTING SOMETHING PASSED UP THE FENCES OUT THE REC YOUR PAROLE OFFICER.
NO, GO AHEAD AND PAY HIM OFF A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT A GOOD INVESTMENT MS. MR. WEDGWORTH HAS BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH, AND I THINK HE'S LEARNING A LOT AND HE'S ATTENDING ALL OF THE CLASSES THAT HE'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TWO COMING UP THREE TO THREE DAYS THIS MONTH.
UM, DON'T FORGET YOUR ETHICS FORMS. UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN FOLLOW THEM ANY TIME, BUT PLEASE FOLLOW THEM BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
AND WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON OUR 20, 23 BUDGETS.
SO, UM, WHO WAS THE BUDGET CHAIR? SO I WONDER WHETHER WE'LL BE CONTACTING YOU THIS WEEK TO TRY AND SET UP A MEETING.
CHRIS, CHRIS, GOING TO SEND OUT, SHE'S ALWAYS SENDING OUT THE INFORMATION TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO OUR REGISTRATION FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
SHE ALWAYS SENT OUT AN EMAIL, SO WE GET RIGHT TO IT.
SO SHE WILL BE SENDING IF SHE HASN'T ALREADY SENT, I THINK YOU HAVE SHEEX GOTTA DO SOME THINGS IN THE SYSTEM TO GET YOU GUYS UP AND RUNNING IN.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM SO THAT YOU COULD FILE.
IT'S KINDA, IT'S KINDA HARD MANEUVERING IT, MANEUVERING THROUGH IT, BUT ONCE YOU GET GOING, IT'S KIND OF SIMPLE.
UM, SO DON'T, DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY IT.
IT'S VERY EASY IF YOU DO A CRACKING IN THE FIRST TIME.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? I GOT ONE QUESTION WITH TEXAS
[00:40:02]
AND OKLAHOMA MOVING IN THE SEC, IS THAT GOING TO THE FOOTBALL? THAT WAS A JOKE.SEE, SEC PEOPLE THINK OF SOUTH EASTERN CONFERENCE, BE THE, UM, THE SECURITY.
WHAT'S THE THING WITH THE STOCKS AND BONDS THE SEC, RIGHT? IT COULD ALSO BE THAT, NO, I KNEW WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU GOT ME HAS BEEN PART OF THE SEC.
IT'S A TEXAS ANM OR TEXAS JORDAN.
WELL THAT SHOULD PULL SOME PROBLEMS, BUT WE'LL SEE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMMITTEES, UM, GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR MEETINGS IN, ESPECIALLY THE RULES COMMITTEE.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND FINALIZED.
WE WANT TO DO ALL OF THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, IF POSSIBLE.
[VIII. Closing Comments]
THAT I HAVE IS IN THE FALL, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, GETTING OUR POLE MANAGERS AND CLERKS LINED UP, UM, WELL IN ADVANCE.SO WENDELL SAID, IDEALLY BY THE END OF MARCH WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THEN THEY'RE NOT RUSHING TO TRY TO GET EVERYBODY INTO THE BRIEFS AND WHATNOT.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, GETTING PULL MANAGERS AND CLERKS, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW ONES THAT HAVE JUST BECOME WHOLE MANAGERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
SO IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THAT CONTACT WINDOW AND HE CAN GET YOU A LIST, UM, AND THERE'S A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN GOING ON RIGHT NOW TO RECRUIT POLL MANAGERS.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF, UM, ONLINE APPLICATIONS.
DOES ANYTHING ELSE, ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? OKAY.
[IX. Announcements]
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 23RD, AT 2:00 PM RIGHT HERE IN COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? SO, ALL RIGHT, LET ME HAVE A GOOD DAY.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND, GO TO BUFORD COUNTY S C.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM LIST CALL TO ORDER 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 I'M NATALIE HEFTER.
AND THIS IS YOUR VIEW FOR COUNTY MOMENT.
OYSTERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SOCIAL SCHEDULE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
I'D ALWAYS THERESE, BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN IMPORTANT TO OUR HISTORY HERE.
NATIVE AMERICANS USE THEM FOR FOOD.
WE USED IT FOR PROCESSING INDIGO, AND EVEN FOR FERTILIZING FIELDS OF COTTON MOISTER FACTORIES WERE USED IN THE BUFORD COUNTY AREA, ALL THREE OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY TO PROCESS OYSTERS AND CANNED THEM AROUND TOWN.
YOU CAN SEE EVIDENCE OF TABBY ARCHITECTURE THAT'S MADE FROM OYSTER SHELLS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT OYSTERS DO FOR US IS FILTER OUR WATER SEVEN GALLONS OF WATER OYSTER PER DAY.
THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN OF STORMWATER.
AS THESE ARE FILTERING ALL THE TIME, REMEMBER TO RECYCLE THOSE OYSTER SHELLS WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR OYSTER ROAST.
SO WE HAVE NEW PLACES FOR BABY OYSTERS TO GROW, ENJOY THE SEASON.
AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE B FOR COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE DIFFERENT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
[00:45:14]
DR.TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINESS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
WHY NOW 12 YEARS OF BLACK FREEDOM FOLLOWED BY AN ALT-RIGHT ROLLBACK? THE PRESIDENT IMMEDIATELY, UM, FOLLOWING ABRAHAM LINCOLN, WHO REFUSED TO RENOUNCE WHITE SUPREMACY, THE CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT THAT EFFECTIVELY UNDID THE POWER OF THE 14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENTS.
WHAT'S IT SOUND LIKE CONTEMPORARY TIME, CONTEMPORARY TIMES.
SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD TEACH OUR FELLOW CITIZENS IN AMERICA ABOUT THE PERILOUS MOMENT IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING BY ANALOGY, THROUGH TELLING THE STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ITS ROLLBACK.
AND I FIRST STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT AFTER THE HORRIBLE MURDERS OF, UH, REVEREND CLEMENTA PINCKNEY AND THE OTHER INNOCENCE AT MOTHER EMANUEL CHURCH BECAUSE OF JUSTIFICATIONS THAT DYLAN ROOF, UH, SUMMONED FOR HIS ACTIONS, UM, WERE VERY REMINISCENT OF RACIST RHETORIC ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR AND FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HORROR MOVIE.
WHEN YOU THINK THAT THE VAMPIRES DID.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY COME UP OUT OF THE CASKET AND HE THINK, DAMN, I THOUGHT I PUT A STAKE IN YOUR HEART.
I THOUGHT THAT THE WORST AND MOST PERNICIOUS HEINOUS ASPECTS OF ANTI-BLACK WHITE SUPREMACY WERE LONG GONE.
AND THAT I WAS NAIVE ABOUT THAT.
AND WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN HATE SPEECH, ANTISEMITISM, ANTI-GAY ATTITUDES AND PEOPLE WHEN PEOPLE BECOME FRIGHTENED PARTICULARLY ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THEY LOOK FOR SCAPEGOATS AND THE SCAPEGOATS TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN GAY PEOPLE.
AND OF COURSE IN THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO IT'S A, A MORAL, UH, LESSON, UM, LET'S AND GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE ROLLBACK TO RECONSTRUCTION.
RECONSTRUCTION IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AND YET IT IS SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
WHY IS THAT? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PERIOD AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANT? WELL, W W E DUBOIS WROTE A BOOK IN 1935 CALLED BLACK RECONSTRUCTION.
AND ONE CHAPTER IS CALLED THE PROPAGANDA OF HISTORY AND HE ANALYZES HOW WHITE HISTORIANS HAD WRITTEN ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROLLBACK TO CREATE A MYTH MYTHOLOGY, A BLACK INCOMPETENCE THAT BLACK MEN HAD BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE, AND COULDN'T PROPERLY SERVE THAT BLACK VOTERS HAD BEEN MANIPULATED BY NORTHERN SCALLYWAGS AND CARPET BAGGERS THAT BASICALLY THEY WERE TOOLS AND PAWNS THAT THEY WERE DISHONEST OF ROBERT SMALLS.
IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION SERVED FIVE NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN CONGRESS BECAUSE HE WAS CONSTANTLY BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING MONEY AND MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS.
THEY WERE, UM, THERE WAS A MYTHOLOGY SANCTIONED BY THE DISCIPLINE OF HISTORY, LOCATED AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CALLED THE DUNNING SCHOOL LED BY HISTORIAN PROFESSOR DUNNING.
AND THEY FOUND EVERY WAY TO REDUCE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAS ONLY BEEN UNDONE BY HISTORIAN SINCE DUBOIS POLICE, BLACK RECONSTRUCTION, AND MOST NOTABLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ANOTHER COLUMBIA PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR ERIC FONER WITH WHOM WE MADE A RECONSTRUCTION SERIES.
PLUS WE HAVE OVER 40 HISTORIANS DOING MODERN, UM, CUTTING EDGE SCHOLARSHIP ON RECONSTRUCTION THAT WHOM WE FEATURE IN THE SERIES.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH A COLLECTIVE, UM, SERIES, AND IT'S VERY MUCH A COUNTERPOINT TO THE RECEIVED INTERPRETATIONS OF RECONSTRUCTION FABRICATED BY THE DUNNING SCHOOL, THE PHONE OR SKYPE AND THERE'S SCHOOL FOR US IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
WHY IS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA? SO PIVOTAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF SOUTH CAROLINA WAS GROUND ZERO FOR RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WAS
[00:50:01]
A MAJORITY BLANK STATE.THE, UM, THERE'S A FAMOUS 1872 LITHOGRAPH OF THE FIRST COLORED SENATOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THREE OF THOSE MEN IN THAT LITHOGRAPH WERE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN RICHARD T GREENER GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO GRADUATE FROM HARVARD AND THE CLASS OF 1870.
WHERE WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY? WAS IT IN NEW YORK? WAS IT IN BOSTON? WAS IT IN CHARLESTON, CAME TO CHARLESTON AND WENT TO, UH, COLUMBIA AND SERVED ON THE FACULTY, UM, AND TOOK LAW CLASSES THERE.
THE, UM, A BLACK MAN FROM ENGLAND, FROM LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ROBERT BROWN ELLIOTT CAME TO BOSTON IN 1867.
THE BRITISH NAVY COULD SMELL THE OPPORTUNITY HEADED STRAIGHT TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND WORKED FOR RICHARD HARVEY.
CAIN'S NEWSPAPER THEN WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS, VERY ELOQUENT, MAN.
AND, UM, THIS WAS WHERE IT WAS AT.
THIS IS WHERE IT WAS HAPPENING.
AND WHEN I INTERVIEWED REPRESENTATIVE CLIBURN HIS OFFICE IN THE, IN THE CONGRESS, WELL HE'S LONG BEEN A STUDENT OF RECONSTRUCTION.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A MUSEUM YOU GO IN THERE AND ALL THESE BROTHERS ARE ON THE WALL.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A BLACK MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, EVEN IN THE 18TH CENTURY, IT WAS CALLED NEGRO COUNTRY.
UM, AND VERY SOON THAT WAS DISMANTLED.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY OF THE MOST VICIOUS BATTLES OVER RACE OCCURRED HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THIS BLACK MAJORITY.
I WENT TO CALHOUN COLLEGE AT YALE UNIVERSITY AND JOHN C. CALHOUN WAS AN INTELLECTUAL RACIST.
HE NOT ONLY WANTED SLAVERY TO CONTINUE, HE WANTED TO RESURRECT THE SLAVE TRADE.
HE WAS, HE WAS A ROUGH BROTHER.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST SIGNIFICANT, UH, ASPECTS OF RECONSTRUCTION? THE REAL POSITIVES, THE ESTABLISHMENT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, UM, PARTICULARLY THE CHURCHES, FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF THE SLAVES WANTED TO GET MARRIED AND LEGALIZE THEIR LOVER RELATIONSHIPS, THE, UM, THE TAKING OUT OF ADS AND NEWSPAPERS TO REUNITE FAMILIES.
AND THE FACT THAT 80% OF THE ELIGIBLE BLACK MEN IN THE SOUTH HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WHAT I CALL THE FIRST FREEDOM SUMMER, THE SUMMER OF 1867 AND 500,000 OF THEM CAST THEIR VOTES IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 1868 FOR ULYSSES S GRANT.
THAT'S AMAZING THEN PEOPLE FORM SCHOOLS, HISTORICALLY BLACK.
WHAT WE NOW CALL HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LIKE SHAW AND HOWARD, BUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ALLEN AND BENEDICT, AND KATHLYN ABSOLUTELY.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT THE SLAVES HAD A HUNGER FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT HAD BEEN KEPT FOR THEM WAS KNOWLEDGE OF READING AND WRITING.
AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS.
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION GREW OUT OF THIS PERIOD AND PARTICULARLY, UH, WAS SPEARHEADED HERE IN OUR STATE, BY ROBERT SMITH, RIGHT THERE WEREN'T PUBLIC STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS, PARTICULARLY, UM, IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN PARTICULARLY AS DESIGNED BY ROBERT SMALLS, UM, ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WHICH HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE, WHICH IS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION.
IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THOUGH, THAT THINGS LIKE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND CERTAINLY, UH, ENFRANCHISEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE POSITIVES THAT GREW OUT OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD ARE STILL UNDER ASSAULT IN MODERN.
AND IT'S, WE HAVE TO, UM, ANY SOCIETY IS JUDGED BY THE QUALITY OF ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND WE, AS AMERICANS SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AT HOW WE'VE ALLOWED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE POPULATED BY BRILLIANT TEACHERS ARE SO MOTIVATED, BUT THEY'RE UNDERPAID AND UNDER-RESOURCED.
AND, UM, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE A GENERAL IDEA THAT THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS SOLELY IN THE HANDS OF THE CELL.
THAT'S NOT, NO, THE COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH, THEY SAID 12 YEARS IS ENOUGH.
THERE WAS A PA ECONOMIC PANIC OF 1873, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION.
[00:55:01]
AROUND AND SAID, WHY ARE WE SPENDING ALL THE MONEY ON THESE NEGROS IN THE SOUTH? LET THEM DRIVE.AND THEY ACTED BARREL AS IF 200 YEARS OF SLAVERY COULD BE WIPED OUT WITH NO REPARATIONS WITH, WITH, WITH, UM, NO BENEFITS GIVEN NO 40 ACRES AND A MULE, NO HELP.
UM, THAT EACH OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON THEIR OWN.
NOT ONLY THAT NEW FORMS OF OPPRESSION WERE INSTITUTIONALIZED, THAT PEONAGE SHARECROPPING THE RISE OF THE KLAN, THE RISE OF THE COOK TERRORISM.
AND SO VERY MUCH A RECONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT ISSUES THAT STILL ROYAL OUR SOCIETY TODAY, WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE A CITIZEN WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO BE AN AMERICAN.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY? AND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF TERRORISM IN THE HEALTHY FUNCTIONING OF A DEMOCRACY? WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN, IN THE FACE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF TERRORISM? HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS VERY BLATANT, A REMINDER FROM 150 YEARS AGO AND NOT BE MINDFUL OF ITS IMPACT TODAY? THAT'S WHY DYLAN MCGEE AND I MADE THE SERIES AND WITH PBS, WE'LL GET, AND I AM ON THE ROAD.
YOU KNOW, I FLEW DOWN TO BUFORD FROM HARVARD.
UH, I DID MY OFFICIAL DUTIES ON JUMPED ON JET BLUE AND CAME DOWN HERE BECAUSE I'M WANTING TO SOUTH CAROLINA SCREENING TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GROUND ZERO, THAT THEN IS NOW, AND I WANT TO DO ONE IN CHARLESTON, AND I WANT TO DO ONE AT THE PENN CENTER, UH, AS WELL.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT WE MADE THIS SERIES ABOUT THE CURRENT RACIAL CLIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THOUGH IT'S THROUGH THE MIRROR AND THE ANALOGY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND IT'S ROLLED BACK CALLED REDEMPTION.
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR YOU FOR THIS SERIES? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES.
I WANT RECONSTRUCTION MODULES TO BE CREATED IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS AS CENTRAL TO A COURSE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A CIVIL WAR IS OR WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR II RECONSTRUCTION WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIMENT WITH INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND IT WAS CRUSHED.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE AS A SOCIETY IS IF WE FASHIONED FORUMS OF INTERRACIAL DEMOCRACY AND COLLABORATION THAT ALLOW A MULTIPLICITY OF VOICES, SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ET CETERA, GENDER IDENTITIES, TO THRIVE AND LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
THAT'S MY GOAL IN CREATING THIS SERIES AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL WATCH IT, THAT THEY HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR.
I CAN TALK TO YOU ALL DAY, ALWAYS IN PLEASURE, LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE AND BEING SMART AND STRONG IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3 BEING SMART MEANS GOING TO SCHOOL, DOING YOUR HOMEWORK AND GETTING AN EDUCATION.
BEING STRONG MEANS EAT THE RAINBOW LIKE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH A LOT OF COLOR IN THEM.
GET 30 TO 60 MINUTES OF PLAY, TIME, EXERCISE OR SPORTS IN EACH DAY AND GET SIX TO EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT.
SO REMEMBER LIVING THERE LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3