October 25th, 2020-This year is an election year and more than ever voting has been all over the news, from celebrities going naked telling people to go out and have their voices heard, to the countless online rallies and in person rallies for former Vice President Joe Biden and sitting President Donald J. Trump. 

This year unlike any other everyone’s vote is needed. If you want your voice heard about your opinions and how you feel about where the country is headed and where you want the country to go your vote needs to be counted. Guidelines have been placed for absentee voting, and a law was put in place by Governor McMaster in September allows anyone in South Carolina to cast an absentee ballot without a reason in the General Election. South Carolina State law still requires ballots to be dropped off or mailed to county election commission offices. As of October 23rd, 2020 Vox.com reported 51,503,109 people have early voted, over 4 million more voters have voted early than in 2016.

When asked how they will be voting and if the pandemic affected how they will vote, people in South Carolina as well as nearby Georgia offered their views.

“I have yet to vote, as I am doing so on November 3rd with my mom and sister,” said Molly Oliver, Chapin High 2019 graduate. “I feel great about voting in the upcoming election as I have hope that my vote and voice will be heard to help make and difference in removing the sitting president,” said Oliver.

“I will be proudly voting on election day,” said Gina Bettis, a Chapin resident.

“I am going to vote on November 3rd in person,” said Mo Tharp, a Bluffton, S.C.  “The pandemic has not changed how I will vote.” “Well,I feel if we do not re-elect Donald Trump we will be in big trouble. He will keep his tax cuts in place, he will bring more business opportunities to the United States,” said Tharp.

In nearby Georgia, residents have also been casting early votes.

“We voted early in person in Georgia,” said Cindy Cooper. “There was a short line. We had to wear masks, and there was social distancing,” she said. “I have to vote early every election year because I’m a teacher.”

When asked about who they would vote for in the senate race and the ad spending, Cooper said, “We want Republicans to keep the senate. (But) I think it’s stupid, their commercials are lame. There’s too much being spent on negative political ads.” 

On the whole, former students and residents said what is most important is to use the power of the vote to voice their opinion.

“I think that it is important to vote because it is important that we know that we have a choice. We must utilize our freedom to decide how our country should be run and who runs it,” said Bettis.