Calls to the SC Election Protection hotline from voters reporting problems came in at nearly one a minute on Election Day.

“We logged a total of 1,034 calls by 8pm,” said SC Election Protection field manager Brett Bursey. “That’s more that double the number made in the 2004 and 2006 election combined.” More than half the calls came in on Election Day. Charleston County led the state with 131 problems reported. Greenville and Richland counties each logged 83 calls, and Spartanburg had 56.

Spartanburg County Election Commission Director Henry Laye was the hardest to reach of the county directors. Laye allowed a Republican poll watcher to challenge black voters’ reasons for voting absentee, which made long lines even longer. On Nov. 4, Spartanburg had some of the longest lines, with voters waiting up to five hours. Two precincts reported people in line three hours after the polls closed.

The National Election Protection Coalition of nonpartisan advocacy groups staffed call centers around the country that logged 43,207 calls. Calls were posted by state on the organization’s web site, and volunteer legal advisors in South Carolina followed up with phone calls to voters to help them resolve problems.

Nearly 200 calls were from voters who were not listed on the poll books. Most were newly registered and never received their cards. Many of these people were turned away and not given the opportunity – as required by law – to vote a provisional ballot.

It was clear from the calls that counties are not consistent in interpreting the election laws. “Counties make their own rules, and laws are what the poll workers think they are,” said one frustrated legal volunteer.

The SC Progressive Network will be holding town meeting across the state to gather citizens’ input on their experiences voting in an effort to our work to pass legislation next session to improve voting procedures and practices in South Carolina. The Network introduced legislation in 2006 for Early Voting Centers and other reforms that would have reduced both the lines and the stress on poll workers. For details on these bills, click here. 

If you have a story to tell about problems voting, please email it to network@scpronet.com. Be sure to include your name, contact information, location of problem and whether it was resolved.