Ms. Sanchez,


I read your op-ed in the State House Report and wanted to share with you that SC adopted IRV for overseas voters in 2006. That year the Dept of Justice told the state that the legislature needed to allow more time for overseas voter to cast a run-off ballot. ALL the legislators, including Rep. Joe Neal, the SC Progresive Network Co-Chair, were upset that they had to add at least a couple of weeks of campaign expenses and effort to the election cycle.


I had been working with Rob Richie, the ED of FairVote on collaborative efforts to democratize US politics with policies that don’t require constitutional amendments. I knew at the time, that Louisiana had passed IRV for overseas voters and made a presentation to the House Judiciary, Election Laws Subcommittee with facts and details. They passed it out to the full committee and Gov. Mark Sanford signed it.

It has been working well as is a selling point for adding IRV to other elections.


You can read about it at the State Election Commission: https://scvotes.gov/voters/military-overseas-citizens/


Let me know if you would like to discuss working with our policy institute on model legislation. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter is a principal associate and founder of the 28-year-old SC Progressive Network.


for democracy,

Brett


Brett Bursey, Exec. Director

SC Progressive Network &

Modjeska School

1340 Elmwood Ave.

PO Box 8325, Columbia SC 29202

[email protected]

803-808-3384 (o)

803-608-1480 ©