Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging South Carolina Violated Disabled Voters' Rights
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that claimed South Carolina violated the federal rights of disabled voters. Judge Mary Geiger Lewis issued the dismissal on September 30, less than a year after the lawsuit was initially filed. The plaintiffs in the case included three disabled South Carolinians and the state chapter of the NAACP. The lawsuit contended that South Carolina's regulations regarding voter assistance, specifically limits on who can provide help, the number of voters an individual can assist, and the criteria for voters to qualify for assistance, were in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act. However, Judge Lewis did not rule on the merits of whether South Carolina's laws actually violated federal statutes. Instead, her decision was based on the plaintiffs' lack of legal standing, as she found no plausible allegation that assistance had been denied. Furthermore, after the discovery phase, the plaintiffs were unable to demonstrate any denied requests, imminent refusals, or definite exc...
