This November, South Carolina voters will find a question on their ballot asking if they want a constitutional amendment that will create stronger restrictions on who is allowed to vote in the state.
Clarifying Voter Eligibility
The question placed before South Carolina voters this November will ask whether they believe only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in state and local elections.
Current Laws Already Restrict Voting
However, current South Carolina state laws already specify that “every” citizen is allowed to vote in state elections, but some feel the law is not specific enough.
Amendment Seeks to Specify “Only Citizens”
The proposed amendment is an attempt to provide further clarification by altering the language of state voting law to specify that “only” citizens will be allowed to vote in elections.
Specific Language of the Ballot Question
The question will specifically ask voters if they agree to make this change to Section 4, Article II of the South Carolina constitution to ensure that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years or older and properly registered can vote.
Amendment Would Solidify Existing Practices
If the amendment is passed, it will not make any serious change to existing voting practices, but it will solidify voting requirements within the South Carolina state constitution.
Supporters Advocate For Increased Safeguards
While changing the state law from saying “every citizen” to “only citizens” may seem like a minor change, supporters of the amendment see it as an opportunity to increase the safeguards that protect the democratic voting process.
Attorney General Wilson Supports the Amendment
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is one such supporter who feels this change will protect the electoral process in the state within every level of elections.
“An Extra Safeguard” Against Non-Citizen Voting
“It’s basically just an extra safeguard to confine elections and to confine voters in elections in South Carolina to only citizens of this state at any level, local state or federal,” Attorney General Wilson stated.
Preventing Non-Citizen Voting
Alan Wilson also said that changing the wording from “every citizen” to “only a citizen,” would potentially prevent non-citizens from voting in local elections, even if these illegal votes aren’t happening already.
A Straightforward Question for Voters
John Michael Catalano from the South Carolina Election Commission also highlighted the fact that this is a very straightforward question for voters to decide what they want from their state constitution.
Critics Fear Future Voting Restrictions
However, critics argue that the amendment could open doors to future voting restrictions and is an unnecessary use of time within the political system.
Potential For Unintended Consequences
According to Nicholas Higgins, an associate professor and political science department chair at North Greenville University, the amendment may seem minor but could have significant implications.
Possible Government Overreach
By altering the interpretation of voting rights in South Carolina, the change might inadvertently give the government the power to impose additional restrictions on voting rights.
Risks of Restricting Citizen Voting
Higgins explained, “First, it potentially opens up … restrictions to citizen voting. The term ‘Every’ citizen makes it clear that laws that restrict citizen voting are presumed unconstitutional under South Carolina’s constitution.”
Opponents Argue Amendment Is Unnecessary
Other opponents of the amendment, like Barry Maher, a business consultant, speaker, and author, argue that the legislature’s focus on this change is misguided because it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in South Carolina.
A Waste of Legislative Time
Maher criticized the effort as a waste of time, suggesting that it addresses a non-existent problem while neglecting more pressing issues.
“A Meaningless Change”
“I think it’s wonderful that South Carolina has reached such a state of perfection that the Legislature has nothing else to do but make meaningless changes to requirements—as if non-citizen voting wasn’t already illegal,” Maher sarcastically remarked.
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