There was welcome news on Saturday for South Carolinians still digging their way out of debris and assessing the damages recently wrought by Hurricane Helene. A judge in the Palmetto State has decided that voter registration will be extended for just over a week:
South Carolina Judge Daniel Coble extended the voter registration deadline by eight days at a virtual hearing Friday due to Hurricane Helene.
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The decision came after the state’s Democrats filed a lawsuit citing damage from Hurricane Helene as a barrier to citizens’ ability to participate in the general election.
“Many residents remain without power and internet, and numerous government offices—including those responsible for voter registration—are closed due to the storm’s impact,” the South Carolina Democratic Party said in a press release.
The move was deemed necessary not only because of the burden placed on potential voters by the storm, but some of the places where they normally would expect to be able to register remain closed, the South Carolina Election Commission stated in a press release:
South Carolina citizens now have more time to register to vote ahead of the 2024 General Election after a court today ordered the voter registration deadline be extended to October 14.
The eight-day extension was ordered due to the widespread impact of Hurricane Helene. Several county voter registration offices were closed for days before being able to reopen for registration. Offices in Edgefield, Laurens, and McCormick have remained closed due to the storm. The extended deadline applies to voters in all counties.
South Carolina Democrat Party Chair, Christale Spain struck a civil tone, saying in a statement that the party’s “goal is simple: to ensure that every citizen in South Carolina has the opportunity to register and exercise their right to vote, regardless of their politics, in the face of challenges caused by Hurricane Helene.”
She added in an X post :
Statement from South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain on the Judge’s Decision to Grant the South Carolina Democratic Party’s Request to Extend Voter Registration Deadline to October 14th pic.twitter.com/udi7JsFpEh
— South Carolina Democratic Party (@scdp) October 4, 2024
So far, so good, right? Then the South Carolina Democrat Party’s executive director decided that now was the right time to spring a political attack on Republicans. Jay Parmley’s catty and inappropriate remark was also broadcast by the official party X account:
Statement from South Carolina Democratic Party Executive Director Jay Parmley on the Judge’s Decision to Grant the South Carolina Democratic Party’s Request to Extend Voter Registration Deadline to October 14th pic.twitter.com/RGncGk8EMK
— South Carolina Democratic Party (@scdp) October 4, 2024
Here’s how the executive director tried to frame the news, in part, in a condescending and vicious manner:
“I guess the only difference was that Alan Wilson’s and Henry McMaster’s names were on the ballot in 2018, and they are not this year.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with those politicians, Parmley is implying that it was a sheer political move, why the GOP state AG and governor didn’t seek the extension (unlike in 2018 after Hurricane Florence; Note: The devastating flooding in SC from that storm is shown in the photo on this story.).
As you can see, Spain tried to smooth things over (her message was posted to X by the party first, but maybe she knew in advance that some drama was on its way), but the damage was done.
It’s a bad look. This is not how responsible public servants act in the wake of a deadly natural disaster, with your fellow citizens still counting the costs on their lives and the harm to their communities. The left should be ashamed of themselves, but we all know they have no shame at this point. The only solution is to vote out Democrats in just about 30 days–whether you’re in the Southeast or not.