A “Vote Here” sign outside a polling location at Dreher High School in Columbia on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024 (Abraham Kenmore/SC Daily Gazette)
Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday, South Carolinians’ final day to vote in state and national elections.
Aside from a scuffle last week at an Orangeburg polling place that’s under investigation, the voting process has largely gone smoothly in South Carolina leading up to Election Day, according to state election officials.
Anyone who experiences or witnesses a possible election-related crime while trying to cast a ballot is encouraged to contact state law enforcement at 833-4SC-VOTE, the FBI’s state office at 803-551-4200, or the U.S. Attorney’s state district office at (803) 919-3092.
In Orangeburg, a confrontation between election workers and a voter wearing a “Let’s Go Brandon” hat reached a boiling point Oct. 30 when a poll manager allegedly struck a voter in the face after he repeatedly refused to remove his hat and confronted her.
Under South Carolina law, wearing anything supporting a candidate whose name appears on the ballot is not allowed. Clothing with a more generalized political message is permissible.
Over the last year, the phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” has been a not-so-secret alternative for an expletive insult aimed at President Joe Biden.
SLED investigating dispute over a voter’s ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ hat
The state Election Commission had previously instructed poll workers that “Let’s Go Brandon” was considered electioneering, which is not permitted in polling sites, the agency’s director Howard Knapp told The Post and Courier.
But now that Biden is not on the ballot, the phrase no longer violates state election law.
However, former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan or Vice President Kamala Harris’ “When we fight, we win” slogan would be a violation. The rule applies to pins, buttons, articles of clothing, posters, brochures and other printed materials.
Voters who show up to a polling place wearing campaign gear will be asked to remove it or cover it up.
Voters can wear old campaign merchandise, like a button from past presidential races, so long as that person is not on the ballot.
The state Law Enforcement Division continues to investigate the confrontation that disrupted the voting process, a potential crime.
The incident involved 54-year-Mark Allen Morris, who sought to cast his ballot, and Angela Buchannon-Glover, a 53-year-old poll manager.
A poll worker called police to the old Orangeburg County Library around 11 a.m. last Wednesday.
When officers arrived, Morris told police he was punched in the face by a county poll worker, according to a report by Orangeburg police. The responding officer noted swelling under Morris’ left eye. Morris told the officer he wanted to press the issue in court.
The rest of the police report is heavily redacted, including the account given by Buchannon-Glover.
When contacted by the SC Daily Gazette, Buchannon-Glover said she did not wish to speak about the incident.
Much of what is known appears in a 90-second video posted on social media by a voter who witnessed the event. The video starts after poll workers had allegedly told Morris he could not wear his hat while voting.
When a poll worker refused to take his identification, he called her an expletive name, the video shows.
When a second election worker tried to intervene, Morris threatened the workers with a lawsuit before taking his hat off, waving it around saying, “This is my (expletive) right, right here.”
“Well then, take it outside,” the second worker says.
“Does it offend you?” he asked.
“It does not offend me,” she replies.
“Alright then. Shut the hell up and let me vote,” he shouted back.
Buchannon-Glover then interjects telling the other poll workers, “We ain’t got nothing else to say. We already said we cannot serve him.”
Morris responds by throwing his hat out through the door where voters are waiting in line. He turns back to the registration table, refusing to leave.
That’s when he tells Buchannon-Glover, who is standing next to him at the table, “You better back up.” He appears to turn and point in her face.
Buchannon-Glover then allegedly slaps Morris’ hand and face. Morris turns and tries to push his way through other poll workers to get to her before she appears to leave the room. The remaining poll workers continuously tell Morris to leave as well.
Beyond political paraphernalia, state law bans people from carrying a handgun at a polling place. Having a concealed weapon permit doesn’t exempt anyone from that law.
Voters also can’t show their ballots to anyone or take a photo of their ballot.