Midterm election approaches: A push for college-age voters in South Carolina
Early voting is already underway. In South Carolina, seven House of Representative seats, one senator, governor, superintendent of education, secretary of state, commissioner of agriculture, and two statewide constitutional amendments are on the ballot.
Conway is in the 7th District in South Carolina. Republican candidate Russell Fry and Democratic candidate Daryl Scott are running against each other for Congressman Tom Rice’s seat in the U.S. House.
A Senate race for South Carolina will also take place. Incumbent Republican Sen. Tim Scott will run against Democratic candidate Krystle Matthews in the race.
There has been a widespread push for young voters in this election. Coastal Carolina University (CCU) has organized strategies such as placing signs in dining halls to encourage students to vote in-person or by mailing in absentee ballots.
Along with the push for voting in the midterms on campus, candidates have utilized social media to reach voters. Over previous years, candidates have switched from TV commercial ads to appeal to young voters with a social media presence. Celebrities and influencers have encouraged their followers to participate in the election, such as Taylor Swift and Zendaya.
“If you’re of age to vote, it’s important because everyone’s voice deserves to be heard,” Kenslie Graham, junior and South Carolina resident, said. “You can’t say anything about not liking or agreeing with the decisions that they make if you don’t vote or put your voice out.”
Former congressman Joe Cunningham is running for governor of South Carolina against incumbent Henry McMaster. Cunningham has focused on the younger generation of voters for his campaign. He has put a lot of his campaign on TikTok for college-aged voters to view and interact with, mostly using humor to appeal to them. He even recently brought his campaign to campus on Prince Lawn.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the democratic candidate is projected to lose the election. Governor McMaster will become the state’s longest-serving governor if he wins the position this November.
In order to vote in South Carolina, residents must have registered 30 days before the election on Nov. 8.
“Voting is part of being American. A bunch of people fought for this country. You can’t make a change if you are not participating in what has been created,” James Golf, sophomore and South Carolina resident, said.
Polling locations can be found at www. vote.org. More information on the midterm elections in South Carolina and other states can be found at scvotes.gov or ballotpedia.org.
