The League of Women Voters of the Columbia area provides online voter education tool
October 25, 2019
From Dr. Laura Woliver, President
The League of Women Voters of The Columbia Area
VOTE411.org is a unique nonpartisan website developed by the League of Women Voters of the United States to assist voters in making informed ballot choices and to let them know the candidates for whom they are eligible. VOTE411.org provides candidates an opportunity to reach voters through this online platform and tell them about themselves and what they believe are the most critical issues in their local races. VOTE411.org is free of charge to all users and participants.
The VOTE411.org website includes links to voter registrations services, provides information about polling locations and upcoming debates. After the 2018 elections, the League of Women Voters of South Carolina reported that over 89,432 South Carolinians and 16,515 people from the Columbia Area visited the website. To use the VOTE411.org website in preparation for the upcoming November 5, 2019 election, visit VOTE411.org and enter your residential address. Information about the candidates in your local district and about at-large candidates will be displayed.
There are twelve municipalities in Richland and Lexington Counties with open seats for mayor or city council members in the November 5, 2019 election. These cities are Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin, Irmo, West Columbia, Springdale, Leesville, West Columbia, Blythewood and Columbia. There are three referendum questions on the ballot for citizens of the City of Irmo. These questions are: 1. Should the Town overturn the No Parking in the yard ordinance? 2. Should the Town bring back a property tax in order to provide more services? (examples: road repairs, street sweeping, hire more police officers and/or staff, etc. 3. Should the Town approve a Hospitality Tax to pay for more tourism related events (examples: concerts in the park, outdoor art, social media manager, etc.)
For South Carolinians, online voter registration services and a sample ballot is located at the State Elections Commission’s website at scVOTES.org. However, VOTE411.org provides an additional feature. Visitors to VOTE411.org have the opportunity to learn more specific information about the candidates in the elections in their precinct. Volunteers from The League of Women Voters spend countless hours reaching out to candidates to request that they provide demographic information, their website and social media campaign locations and answers to questions designed for their municipality.
The League of Women Voters celebrates its centennial year in 2020. The organization was founded in the aftermath of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote. Women who had worked since the 1800’s to win their voting rights, known as suffragists, began to channel their energies into supporting women voters through the creation of The League of Women Voters. The League of Women Voters is a strictly nonpartisan organization. The League of Women Voters does not endorse any candidate or political party.
