The RNC passed the Resolution: URGING A “RETURN TO EXCELLENCE” IN AMERICAN VOTING AND ELECTIONS. This resolution passed unanimously and addresses many key concerns most American voters have with our current election process. SC Safe Elections is encouraged about this first step as it addresses many key issues with elections such as:
- Encouraging/maximizing participation
- Maintaining state not federal control of election law
- Ensuring swift and accurate results
- Keeping it local with easily accessible and geographically dispersed polling places
- Ensuring that only US citizens vote
- Providing a non-electronic option to voters
- Paper ballot systems that are auditable and voter-verifiable
Here is the full resolution:
South Carolina has already addressed some of these issues and concerns (we have laws that limit ballot harvesting and do not have universal mail in balloting). As the first in the South for the Democratic and Republican primary, we can be the gold standard for election excellence if we pass additional election integrity bills. Over the next several weeks we will show specific ways in which we can reform our current system to ensure that our voters have the utmost confidence in our elections.
We encourage our state senators and representatives, governor, and State Election Commission to support three election integrity bills currently in the House Subcommittee—H. 4259, H. 4260, and H. 4261. These bills will allow for:
- Establishing a pilot program of hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots
- Robust hand-count audits and forensic audits
- Eliminating early voting and electronic poll books (which are not certified) while reducing absentee balloting
- Giving full observation rights to every citizen to examine all phases of the election process
- Establishing rigorous chain of custody documentation and procedures for all system components
- Ensuring qualified electors have access to key audit documents and voter rolls at no charge
Since our state has a Republican controlled legislature as well as the governor’s seat our state should be eager to honor this resolution by passing bills that make elections trustworthy. We will be evaluating our state elected officials on how each of them responds to these initiatives.