SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — With Election Day just days away, South Carolina polling sites are preparing for large crowds and heightened security measures to ensure smooth and safe voting.
After a recent incident at an Orangeburg polling location, where a voter’s "Let's Go Brandon" hat led to tension, officials are emphasizing patience and order at the polls.
TJ Lundeen, Director of Public Information for the South Carolina Election Commission, advised voters to prepare for long lines and to be courteous.
"You know, this is going to be a very busy day. It's gonna be a day where you will be standing in line for a significant amount of time, so having patience with those poll workers, having patience with other voters in line as you're you're there and waiting," Lundeen said.
According to Lundeen, the clerk at each polling location is the central authority, tasked with managing both staff and voter interactions to maintain a peaceful environment.
"The clerk is the head of that operation, and what they say goes," Lundeen said. "The main thing that we try to enforce with our law enforcement partners is they should not be going to the polls without being called by the poll clerk. And the poll clerk is kind of the head of each polling place."
The South Carolina Election Commission adds that they work with state and federal agencies, including the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the FBI.
In Kershaw County, Sheriff Lee Boan announced that additional deputies, including School Resource Officers (SROs), will be on standby to respond swiftly if needed.
“It's actually a holiday for the county, as well as the school district. So we'll have our extra SROs out and we'll have extra deputies out tthat'll just be assigned to, uh, patrol around and be on standby should they have a need to be, uh, or to respond to a polling site,” Boan said.
As South Carolina anticipates a significant turnout, election officials are urging voters to stay calm and cooperate with poll workers to ensure a safe and successful Election Day.