Spartanburg sees uptick in early voting: An insight into the 2024 election
Good day folks! Welcome to another exciting day in Spartanburg, S.C. Have you ever heard the line Too early for Christmas shopping but never too early for voting? Well, it seems like our fellow citizens in Spartanburg County agree with that sentiment. Compared to the previous voting cycle in 2020, this year it seems like more people are eager to throw their hat in the ring early by casting their votes for the 2024 Presidential Election.
According to our loyal local election official, around a fifth of all voters have already done their civic duty. Now, those are some numbers! Mobilizing Spartanburg County’s eligible voters could make up approximately 236,000 ballots if everyone turned out. So far, we’re on track to hit over 80,000 early ballots. In comparison, that’s a substantial leap from the 64,000 scattered across ballot boxes at this stage in 2020.
Why the surge in early voting?
We owe a chunk of this turnout spike to a recent legislative change in South Carolina – the Act 150, passed in 2022. This new law allows everyone to cast their vote early without needing a specific reason for not being able to vote on the actual Election Day. Seems like our law-makers finally gave people a chance to avoid those daunting queues on the D-day.
Take for example, the Spartanburg County Administrative Building; the voting officials there are tackling an impressive 300 ballots every hour! The ballot stations are humming with energy, but some places haven’t hopped onto the speedy train just yet. It appears not all voting places are as prepared for the early voting onslaught. Few venues, especially the library satellite early-voting site doesn’t have enough space to accommodate a large-sized operation. But hey, every vote counts, right?
The citizens’ say
Despite the mixed reality of long wait times and shorter lines, our folks aren’t shying away from voting early this year. “If you want to see change, then you have to vote,” says Caroline Robinson, an 18-year-old first-time voter. Even the crowds weren’t a concern for Leon Russ. His wait wasn’t as long as he had anticipated. “I figured the lines would be very long on Election Day and then my wife was here and she says it only took 20 minutes,” says Russ.
Remember your early voting details
For those who haven’t yet cast their vote – remember, early voting will run until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. And the best part about early voting – you can vote at any polling location. On election day, you’ll need to head to your specific precinct.
Also, there’s a small, yet crucial change to consider – three specific polling locations in Spartanburg County have been changed for these elections. So, if you’ve previously voted at the Cross Anchor Fire Station, the Pacolet Elementary School, or the Wade Hampton and Victor Mill in the East Greer communities, make sure you check your new assigned stations.
Well, that’s all the time we have for today, folks. Just remember – every vote counts and every voice matters. Let’s be the changes we want to see in our world. Happy voting, Spartanburg!
