FAIRFAX, S.C. — Efforts are underway in Fairfax to boost voter registration and engage citizens in the electoral process ahead of upcoming elections.
Phyllis Smart, a committed Town Councilwoman in Fairfax, is spearheading a community-focused event on Saturday, August 1. The gathering will take place at the Fairfax Senior Center, running from 9 a.m. until noon.
“Attendees can look forward to direct conversations with candidates vying for offices in South Carolina,” Smart explained. “This is a chance to hear firsthand about their platforms and what they hope to achieve if elected.”
The event will showcase discussions with Sylvia Wright, a hopeful for the superintendent of education, alongside Jason Belton, who is campaigning for the role of secretary of state.
According to Smart, these dialogues hold great significance as they address pressing questions about community issues that matter to Fairfax residents.
“A lot of the community members want to know what’s going to happen with school district and how that is going to formulate,” Smart said. “And also, a lot of people want to open businesses and find out about getting nonprofits and businesses registered and registered the right way.”
The goal is not only to register new voters but also encourage people who are already registered.
“I believe we have a lot of sleeping giants and they’re just asleep because they’ve seen how voter registrations have gone,” Smart said. “You’ve seen how different elections have gone. And they really feel that their voice, their vote is not representing their voice.”
She says one challenge is changing the perception that voting does not matter.
“You can’t just kind of lay dormant and not do anything. Your vote does change things because we’ve seen it in Allendale. We’ve seen how the votes and when people get out to vote, it changes things,” Smart said.
The event will include conversations with candidates and opportunities for voters to ask questions.
Smart says people can reach out to her on Facebook or call 803-508-5837 for more information, including volunteer and sponsor opportunities.