COLUMBIA — South Carolina voters were given an additional 10 days to register for the Nov. 5 general election after a judge sided with a lawsuit filed by the S.C. Democratic Party challenging how the extensive Power outages, flooding and damage from Hurricane Helene could disrupt voter registration efforts.

District Judge Daniel Coble agreed to a quickly filed lawsuit by the Democratic Party requesting an extension of the registration deadline to Oct. 14.

The deadline for in-person registration was October 4th.

Democrats said the storm, which killed dozens of people in the state and left many areas without power even a week later, made it essential to ensure every resident had the access and time needed to ensure they were registered be.

“This is not a partisan issue, it is an issue of public good and ensuring that the right to vote is protected for everyone,” Richard Hricik, a Charleston attorney who represented Democrats in the state, told The Post and Courier shortly before Coble issued his order.

“It makes sense; it’s the right thing to do,” Hricik said. “If people think they will register to vote shortly before the deadline, then Helene comes. And if you don’t have power at home, suddenly that’s probably no longer a priority.”

The decision came after a virtual hearing attended by lawyers from the State Election Commission.

The move is not unprecedented. It happened in 2018 when massive flooding from Hurricane Florence inundated Conway and other parts of the Pee Dee. In 2016, then-Gov. Nikki Haley voluntarily extended voter registration in the Palmetto State following Hurricane Matthew.

Neither Gov. Henry McMaster nor attorneys for the S.C. Republican Party were seen at the virtual hearing.

Thomas Nicholson, general counsel for the state election commission, said the governor’s office was informed of the request but had no comment on the matter. The office had not received a response from Attorney General Alan Wilson. The leadership of the House of Representatives and Senate were also informed of the action.

Meanwhile, the state Republican Party said it disagreed with the portion of the judge’s ruling that extended the voter registration deadline to counties not affected by the storm.

“We call on our elected officials to ensure there is sufficient time to validate and process registration applications and to ensure the accuracy of our voter rolls before ballots are cast,” said party chairman Drew McKissick.

“The SCGOP will do everything in its power to register as many Republicans as possible before the new deadline – and ensure they vote on Election Day,” he added.

McMaster’s office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

In their lawsuit, the state’s Democrats argued that the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene was “an act of God” that had a profound impact on the state. A natural disaster should not prevent South Carolinians from exercising their right to vote, the filing says.

The lawsuit named Howard Knapp, executive director of the S.C. State Election Commission, as a defendant.

During the hearing, the Election Commission appeared to have no problem with the 10-day extension, but urged Coble to make a decision quickly.

Election Commission attorney Elizabeth Crum said extending the date should have no impact on early voting and the body should still be able to pull out all poll books, e-poll books and paper registrations before voting begins.

Early voting begins in the state on October 21st and runs through November 2nd.

Democrats welcomed the result.

“Our goal is simple: to ensure that every citizen in South Carolina has the opportunity to register and exercise their right to vote, regardless of their political affiliation, in the face of the challenges caused by Hurricane Helene,” said Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain SC a written statement. “Protecting the right to vote is a fundamental part of our democracy. We are calling for this extension so that no South Carolinian is left behind during these difficult times and everyone has the chance to make their voice heard in the upcoming elections.”

According to the commission, nearly 263,043 people in South Carolina registered to vote in the first nine months of this year. More than 3.3 million South Carolinians are eligible to vote.

This year is a presidential election year, and seven political parties have confirmed their candidates to run in the 2024 election in South Carolina.

In addition to the presidency, all seven members of the state’s Congress (but not the U.S. Senate) are represented this year, as well as all 170 members of the Statehouse and a list of local county commissioners and sheriffs.