Our recent special election for Sheriff has brought to light an important issue that we as a county need to correct before our upcoming elections next year and that is low voter turnout.
In the December 19th special election for Dillon County Sheriff, only 3,186 voters out of 16,265 registered voters cast ballots in this election. Frankly, that’s deplorable. Maybe it is the time of year with the holidays that deterred voters, maybe it was the cold weather on election day, or maybe a lack of interest in what should have been a very important election to most people, but whatever it is, we should all exercise our right to vote.
Every election is important because they either choose leaders or decide issues that affect the residents of our county. It is not something we should take lightly and with the options of early voting or absentee voting, there is really no excuse for an individual not to cast their ballot.
The right to vote should be held dear by all, but especially women and African-Americans, who fought and struggled for the right to vote decades ago. Some were threatened with physical violence. Some were jailed during the suffrage movement. Many people suffered to ensure that all Americans would have the right to have a say in their future and the direction of this country.
That’s why it would particularly be disheartening to those who fought so hard and endured so much to think that their struggles were in vain because today, many who can vote don’t.
If you are not registered to vote, take the time to get registered now. You can go online to scvotes.gov or register in person at the Dillon County Voter Registration Office at 305 West Hampton Street in Dillon.
Encourage your friends and family members to get registered, update their registration if necessary, and vote.
Next year, we will have county, state, and presidential elections. With the new year on the horizon, let’s all make the resolution to vote when there is an election and have one of the highest voter turnouts in the state not one of the worst.