LDF sent letters to election officials in Berkeley County, Marion County, Florence County, and Orangeburg County South Carolina urging them to designate additional early voting centers for the November 2022 election, and to do so in locations that are more accessible to Black voters. LDF also sent a letter urging Beaumont County, South Carolina officials to open an additional early voting site last week.
At present, only three early voting centers in Berkeley County have been identified for this election, despite the fact that Berkeley County is home to over 149,000 registered voters, who live across an expanse of more than 1,100 square miles. Having only three early voting centers would force each location to serve an average of 49,703 registered voters, over an average area of 367 square miles. Moreover, the three early voting centers that Berkeley County has designated to date do not appear to be equally accessible for the county’s communities of Black voters, raising concerns that Black voters in Berkeley County may be denied an equal opportunity to participate in the political process during early voting in the November 2022 election. The letter provides information on the risk of long lines at the polls and other barriers to access that Berkeley County’s current early voting plan appears likely to create, particularly for Black voters in communities such as Pineville, Cross, Jamestown, and Huger. In addition, the letter identifies 23 potential locations that the Board may explore as additional early voting centers to better serve all Berkeley County voters.
Only one early voting center in Marion County has been identified, despite the fact that Marion County is home to over 20,000 registered voters who live across a nearly 500-square-mile geographical expanse. To assist the Board in addressing the present lack of access, the letter identifies 12 potential options that the Board may explore as additional locations to better serve all Marion County voters, including voters in predominantly Black communities such as Centenary, Gresham, and Brittons Neck.
According to the 2020 Census, Orangeburg County is home to 84,223 residents, who live across a geographical expanse of 1,106 square miles. 53,551 of Orangeburg County’s residents are currently registered to vote. However, for the November 2022 election, Orangeburg County has thus far identified only three early voting centers, forcing each location identified to serve an average of 17,850 registered voters, over an average of 368 square miles. It appears likely to result in long lines and crowding at the polls. Also, the three early voting centers that Orangeburg County has designated to date9 do not appear to be equally accessible for the County’s communities of Black voters, raising concerns that Black voters in Orangeburg County may be denied an equal opportunity to participate in the political process during early voting in the November 2022 election. There is only one early voting center in central Orangeburg, a region where there is a significantly higher proportion of Black residents than in Orangeburg County as a whole—while the county’s overall population is 61.8% Black, the populations in these areas range from 86% to 98% Black.
According to the 2020 Census, Florence County is home to 136,504 residents, who live across a geographical expanse of about 800 square miles. 82,859 of Florence County’s residents are currently registered to vote. However, for the November 2022 election, Florence County has thus far identified only three early voting centers. This decision would force each location to serve an average of 27,619 registered voters, over an average of 266 square miles. It appears likely to result in long lines and crowding at the polls. The three early voting centers that Florence County has designated to date9 do not appear to be equally accessible for the County’s communities of Black voters.
Read the letter to Berkeley County officials here.
Read the letter to Marion County officials here.
Read the letter to Orangeburg County officials here.
Read the letter to Florence County officials here.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
