Today, a federal court ruled in favor of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee and South Carolina Democratic Party when it blocked a South Carolina requirement that voters obtain a witness signature when casting an absentee ballot.
The provision risked disenfranchising thousands of at-risk South Carolinians by requiring them to risk contact with others in order to cast an absentee ballot. The court found that the “the burdens placed upon [voters] by the Witness Requirement far outweigh the imprecise, and (as admitted by SCEC Defendants) ineffective, state interests of combating voter fraud and protecting voting integrity.”
“Today’s ruling is a victory for thousands of South Carolinians who will no longer have to risk their lives in order to participate in our democracy,” DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos said. “This pandemic poses new challenges to voting access across the country and we’re committed to ensuring Republicans can’t use COVID-19 to create new obstacles to voting.”
“This victory is another critical step toward ensuring a safe, fair, and accessible election,” DNC Chair Tom Perez said. “Nobody should be forced to choose between protecting their health and exercising their constitutional right to vote. Democrats will continue fighting to ensure that every voter, in South Carolina and across the country, can safely make their voice heard this year.”
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