SC redistricting plan will not pass before early voting
Post and Courier • • nation
Key Points:
- South Carolina Senate Republicans acknowledged their redistricting proposal to favor GOP candidates will not be completed before early voting starts Tuesday, creating uncertainty for voters ahead of the primaries.
- Democrats are encouraging early voting under the current district lines, hoping high turnout will increase the chances of the new maps being invalidated in court.
- Senate procedural rules and numerous Democratic amendments delayed the redistricting vote, pushing a final decision to late Tuesday or Wednesday, coinciding with the start of early voting.
- Thousands of absentee ballots have already been sent and some received under existing districts, raising concerns about the validity of votes if new maps are enacted mid-election cycle.
- Legal challenges are expected, with critics warning redrawing maps post-early voting could waste millions and cause voter confusion, leading some Democrats to suggest abandoning the redistricting effort altogether.