What’s the best way you can ensure a fair November vote in SC? Just vote in person

On voting

With South Carolina’s special legislative session set to begin in just a few weeks, all eyes are on election laws.

Back in May Gov. Henry McMaster signed a law that allowed no-excuse absentee voting for the June primary; it enabled any South Carolina voter to request and complete an absentee ballot.

And beginning Sept. 2, legislators will be tasked with deciding how to best safeguard the November general election while keeping South Carolinians safe.

As a state representative since 2003, I have seen my share of election missteps. I worry that we are bound for a déjà vu in September, just two months before a pivotal presidential election.

Proponents of expanding South Carolina’s absentee voting mechanism in November want to replicate the no-excuse absentee voting we passed for the June primary.

But where the “one voter, one vote” principle has been threatened the most is in the states where ballot request forms are no longer used — and where a ballot is being sent to every voter on problematic voter registration rolls.

While South Carolina is fortunate not to have compromised our election integrity to that degree, I remain concerned that a massive influx of mailed ballots would present serious logistical challenges that would threaten voters’ ability to make their voices heard.

No matter what the future holds for no-excuse absentee voting for South Carolinians, the surest way to make your vote count in November will be to cast it in person.

State Rep. Garry Smith, Greenville

Smith represents District 27 and is chairman of the House Operations and Management Committee.

On Marc Thiessen

The appearance of columnist Marc Theissen’s byline on an Opinion page sets my eyes to rolling; President Donald Trump could not ask for a better spokesman than Thiessen.

In a recent column Theissen asserted that a “Post-ABC News poll on the eve of the (Democratic) convention showed that while 65% of Trump supporters say they are ‘very enthusiastic’ about supporting the president, only 48% of Biden supporters say the same about the former vice president.”

But one might point out that the Democratic presidential primary season began with more than 10 impressive candidates who are now all genuinely united in supporting nominee Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party presidential primary was limited to one candidate whose most appealing characteristic is his ability to unite the majority of voters to get rid of him.

The Republican Party is the Party of Trump.

It is an insult to the many other qualified Republican nominees who would have brought more dignity to the 2020 election.

Kate McClintic, Beaufort

On Biden

It is difficult to believe that any American would vote for Joe Biden for president. There are questions about his mental capabilities; if elected, he may not be able to govern and the country would be run by his handlers.

And if Biden resigned, Vice President Kamala Harris would become President Harris — and she is not qualified because she has little economic or foreign affairs experience.

President Donald Trump is the perfect example of the old expression: “We are judged in life not by the frequency of our successes but by the infrequency of our failures.”

Most of the complaints about Trump are personal; they focus on his brashness and New York City attitude. But we should consider what President Trump has accomplished for America.

He has made America great again.

If reelected, he will continue to make America the greatest country in the world — and that will not only benefit Americans but the rest of the world, too.

If Biden/Harris are elected, the value of most of your investments will go down with the anticipated drop in the stock market; every proposal that Biden has promised to implement — in particular increased personal and business taxes — will see to that.

It is said that people vote with their wallets. So vote with your wallet, but also vote with intelligence and good judgment.

Vote Republican in November.

Tom Hatfield, Hilton Head Island

This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 6:30 AM.