Every four years, Halloween and Election Day run alarmingly close together. The problem arises when people can't tell the difference between the scary stories and the truth.

Orangeburg County Voter Registration Director Howard Jackson says he's heard about the myths from people who call his office.

"I've heard the ones about absentee and overseas ballots not being counted unless the election is close," Jackson said. "Another one involves the voting process being extended through Wednesday if there are too many people to handle on Election Day. None of this is true. People who put stock in these election urban legends could potentially experience problems with their voting experience."

"Every vote counts," Jackson said. "As a matter of fact, absentee ballots are usually among the first votes counted on Election Day. Plus, there are no Election Day extensions. If you are in line to vote at your precinct at 7 p.m. when the polls close, you will be allowed to vote."

In order to educate local voters about general election facts, Jackson's office has put together a "Fun Facts About Voting" handout designed to dispel the rumors that make the rounds this time of year. The entire list of election myths and the truth regarding election law are available at the Orangeburg County Voter Registration Office.

South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said his office fields the same kinds of calls regarding election rumors.

"The misinformation about extending voting into Wednesday (Nov. 5) is one that has made the rounds in the past," Whitmire said. "Another version of that myth is that people voting for different political parties vote on different days. None of that is true and even if voting were extended, it would only be by court order and only for an hour or two on a local level."

WORG radio morning personality Stu Wright says he hasn't heard many election rumors from his listeners this year, although he has come across them in the past.

"One person did call me recently on whether the election would be extended through Wednesday if the voter turnout is too much, and I told them that wasn't going to happen," Wright said. "Of course, you know you can't argue with them because they will swear they're right."

Whitmire said another myth that was going around in an e-mail "is that your address on your voter registration card has to exactly match the one on your driver's license and if it didn't, you wouldn't be allowed to vote."

"As long as the address on your voter registration card matches the information your local county voter office has, you will be allowed to vote," Whitmire said. "An outdated address on your driver's license just means you haven't updated that form of ID. As I've told folks before, we're in the elections business, not in the driver's license business."

What is true is that any articles of clothing or literature that openly support a specific candidate will not be allowed within 200 feet of the polls. Whitmire says a voter still won't be denied a chance to vote, but the individual will be asked to cover up or remove the items in question.

"Put the stuff away or get rid of it before going to the polls," Whitmire advises. "The best way to show your support is to vote for them."

Calhoun County Voter Registration Director Tomasine Brice says the restriction applies to everyone.

"We even had some of (S.C. Sixth District) Congressman (James) Clyburn's people in here on Tuesday who had some political stuff on," Brice said, laughing. "I had to remind them that this is a polling place, and they took the stuff off immediately."

Bamberg County Republican Party Chairman Kay Maxwell said recent national reports about ACORN are the only thing that concerns her.

"We are very comfortable with the Bamberg County Voter Registration Office and the great job they do," Maxwell said. "We are concerned about ballot security given the problems with ACORN having registered homeless people in other parts of the country."

Whitmire said he is not aware of ACORN currently operating in South Carolina.

"In 2006, SLED investigated ACORN because voter registration officials in Richland County discovered Social Security number and signature disparities in the voter registration cards handled by that organization's field operatives," he said. "Several were charged with election law violations and convicted."

Whitmire said the best way to learn about election facts is through local county Voter Registration offices and at the S.C. Election Commission's Web site: www.scvotes.org.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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