Wouldn’t you like to have access to the local legislators who have the most influence in your everyday life? Well … let me make some introductions.
In South Carolina, each of its 46 counties have legislators within their boundaries that form that county's Legislative Delegation. Some are large, like Charleston and Greenville with 22 legislators. Others are small, like Newberry with only two. And some legislators overlap into other counties (to look up your county’s Legislative Delegation, click here.) These legislators meet on a regular basis to form a governing body that makes decisions specifically for their county. Among other things, they appoint people to boards and commissions, approve Notary Publics, and hold meetings for public information as well as comment. Each county provides administrative and clerical support to the legislators within their borders. These elected officials make decisions that affect you directly. They work together because they have the shared interest of their particular county. They also present a manageable subset of legislators that you can contact with your specific concerns. And in the case of the ERA, working within the delegation allows you to expand your reach beyond an individual legislator to influence a larger audience. As far as contact, our Legislator Outreach walks you through some different methods. Larger delegations are perfect for a Postcard Party, while smaller ones can be contacted individually. And since most delegations hold periodic public meetings, you also have the opportunity to testify in public (sign-up is usually required ahead of time so check your county for those dates). Since the ERA is of benefit to all, our approach is nonpartisan. Any meetings or conversations you have with legislators need to be non-confrontational. And when you do get support from a few legislators within the delegation, others may be more inclined to come along as well. Below is a list of the South Carolina counties with 10 or more legislators, and here’s a link to the list of all county delegations. Each page offers a link to a county map as well as the county website for further information. Regarding the ERA, I think you have something to say. Let your legislators hear from you! Onward! County — # of Legislators Berkeley 11 Charleston 22 Dorchester 12 Greenville 22 Horry 15 Lexington 14 Richland 17 Spartanburg 13 York 13
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AuthorBarbara Fry ... and on occasion, guest writers as well. Archives
July 2020
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