Political News

Watchdog group’s voter challenge over address error resolved by Voter Registration Board

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A recent hearing before the Clarendon County Board of Voter Registration and Elections focused on a challenge brought by the local watchdog group Palmetto State Audit (PSA) against the voter registrations of nine members of the Briggs family. PSA members Mark DuBose and Terry Streath argued that the family was improperly registered at an address located on a vacant lot at 1236 Knowlton Rd., leading to a tense and closely watched proceeding.

PSA presented evidence during the hearing, including satellite images and property records, to assert that the address in question did not have a residential structure and was therefore not a valid voter registration address. “Our goal is to ensure that voter rolls are accurate and reflect the true residency of voters,” DuBose said during his testimony. He emphasized that the challenge was aimed at protecting the integrity of the electoral process by preventing potential inaccuracies on voter rolls.

The Briggs family, however, defended their voter registrations, stating that they had been using the 1236 Knowlton Rd. address for years without any previous issues. Felicia Briggs, whose family members were all registered at the same address, testified that their property includes a home that they have lived in for over two decades. “It’s a black and white, double-wide that says 1236,” Briggs explained during the hearing. “This is what we’ve paid property taxes on for the past 25 years.”

Clarendon County Elections Director Christine Harvin testified that her office had conducted an investigation following the challenge and discovered that the address confusion was due to an error by the county’s E-911 system, which assigns addresses. Harvin noted that the E-911 system had mistakenly classified the family’s address as a vacant lot, even though the Briggs family had been registered at that address for many years. “The voters nor the voter registration was at fault. They had no idea their address should’ve been 2064,” Harvin said.

The hearing became contentious when PSA’s motives were questioned, with some community members suggesting that the challenge was politically motivated. The Briggs family, who have long been registered Democrats, expressed concern that the challenge was part of a broader effort to suppress Democratic votes in the county. “Ever since I was 18, I’ve voted Democrat,” Felicia Briggs said. She questioned whether the same scrutiny would have been applied if they were Republicans.

Despite PSA’s arguments, the board ultimately dismissed the challenge, ruling that the issue stemmed from an administrative error and not from any fraudulent activity on the part of the Briggs family. The board did, however, instruct the family to correct their address with the voter registration office to ensure accuracy moving forward. They have until 30 days prior to the November general election to do so.

Following the hearing, PSA issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to maintaining accurate voter rolls in Clarendon County. The group emphasized that their actions were intended to uphold the law and protect the integrity of the elections, not to target any specific group or individual. “Accurate voter rolls are fundamental to a fair and democratic election process,” the statement read.

While the board’s decision provided some relief to the Briggs family, the incident has highlighted the complexities and challenges associated with voter registration accuracy in the county. As the November elections approach, Clarendon County officials and residents alike are likely to remain vigilant about the integrity of the electoral process, with this case serving as a reminder of the importance of accurate and up-to-date voter records.