Voting Rights and Democracy

Democracy works only when every eligible voter can participate without barriers, fear, or discrimination. Protecting voting rights means protecting privacy, transparency, and fair representation. A healthy democracy depends on access, accountability, and trust - and those values must guide every decision about how elections are run.

What I'll Fight For
  • Free, fair, and accessible elections for every eligible voter in South Carolina
  • Protection of voter privacy and safeguards against unauthorized data sharing or targeted purges
  • Expanded early voting, secure mail-in voting, and reduced barriers to registration
  • Fair maps and strong protections against racial vote dilution
  • Modernized election systems that strengthen transparency and public trust
  • A democracy where every voice is heard and every vote is counted
  • Making Election Day a national holiday
  • Expanding voting to a three-day weekend (Friday–Sunday)
  • Instant Runoff / Ranked-Choice Voting to strengthen voter power and reduce election costs
Why this Matters in South Carolina

South Carolinians face a wide range of barriers that make voting harder than it should be, including:

  • Long lines, especially in high-population or under-resourced precincts
  • Limited early voting that restricts flexibility for working families
  • Strict ID requirements that disproportionately affect low-income and elderly voters
  • Polling-place closures, especially in rural and minority communities
  • Gerrymandering that dilutes political power and discourages participation
  • Barriers for people with disabilities, including inaccessible polling sites
  • Barriers for rural voters, including distance and transportation issues
  • Lack of voter education, leaving people confused about rules and deadlines
  • Restrictive or confusing registration rules
  • Limited access for people without transportation

These long-standing issues have now been compounded by two major developments:

1. The South Carolina Election Commission agreed to turn over the full voter rolls to the federal government without public input.

  • This raises serious concerns about privacy, targeted purges, misuse of personal information, and the lack of transparency in decisions that affect every voter in the state.

2. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais weakened the remaining protections of the Voting Rights Act.

  • This ruling makes it far harder to challenge racially discriminatory maps, directly affecting South Carolina where race and party are closely intertwined. It increases the risk of vote dilution and undermines fair representation.
  • Together, these developments threaten voter trust, voter privacy, and the integrity of democratic participation in South Carolina.


Key Policies and Priorities

Protecting Voter Data & Preventing Targeted Purges

Voters deserve control over their personal information. I support strict limits on how voter data can be shared or used, mandatory public hearings before any statewide data-sharing decisions, and strong protections against politically motivated purges. Privacy is a voting-rights issue.

Fair Maps & Equal Representation

The Callais ruling makes it harder to challenge discriminatory maps, so South Carolina must strengthen its own protections. I support independent redistricting commissions, transparent map-drawing processes, and state-level safeguards that prevent racial vote dilution and ensure fair representation for every community.

Expanding Access to the Ballot

Voting should be simple and accessible. I support expanded early-voting hours, secure mail-in voting options, and more polling locations - especially in rural and underserved areas. No voter should have to travel long distances or wait in hours-long lines to cast a ballot.

Modernizing Voter Registration

I support automatic voter registration, same-day registration, and secure online registration systems that make participation easier. Modern registration systems reduce errors, increase turnout, and strengthen election integrity.

Protecting Against Voter Suppression

Every voter deserves equal access to the ballot. I support policies that prevent discriminatory purges, intimidation, and restrictive ID laws that disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Protecting voting rights protects democracy itself.

Strengthening Election Security & Transparency

Secure elections build public trust. I support modern voting equipment, paper ballot backups, and transparent auditing processes that ensure accuracy and accountability. Election security should never be used as an excuse to restrict access.

Supporting Poll Workers & Local Election Offices

Local election officials are essential to a functioning democracy. I support increased funding, training, and staffing for county election offices to ensure smooth, efficient elections across the state.

Making Election Day a National Holiday

Voting should never require choosing between a paycheck and a civic duty. A national holiday reduces long lines, increases turnout, and makes participation accessible to all working people.

Expanding Voting to a Three-Day Weekend

A single Tuesday voting day is outdated and exclusionary. A Friday–Sunday voting weekend increases flexibility for working families, caregivers, and shift workers; reduces lines; and boosts participation across all communities.

Instant Runoff / Ranked-Choice Voting

South Carolinians deserve a voting system that reflects the full power of their voice - not one limited by a two-party structure or costly runoff elections. Instant Runoff / Ranked-Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring the winner has true majority support without requiring a separate runoff. This reform:

  • Reduces the influence of a rigid two-party process
  • Ensures candidates must appeal to a broader range of voters
  • Eliminates expensive, low-turnout runoff elections
  • Saves counties and the state millions in administrative costs
  • Prevents voter fatigue by consolidating elections into a single round
  • Encourages more positive, issue-focused campaigns

Ranked-Choice Voting empowers voters, strengthens representation, and modernizes our elections in a way that reflects the real diversity of South Carolina’s communities.

A strong democracy depends on participation - and I’m committed to protecting voter privacy, expanding access, and ensuring every South Carolinian has a fair and equal voice in shaping our future.

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