School Board Special Election in West Ashley & North Charleston
A special election is being held on Feb 7 in parts of West Ashley and North Charleston to fill the Charleston County School Board’s vacant District 6 seat. While elections for the School Board are non-partisan, one of the candidates has been endorsed by ultra-conservative groups like the “1776 Project” and “Moms for Liberty”. Eligible voters in Charleston County School Board District 6 are encouraged to vote for a candidate that represents their values in education.
Voters can click on the following link to see if their home falls within District 6, or can visit scvotes.gov to confirm whether they live in the following eligible precincts:
St Andrews 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 15, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 36 & 37
North Charleston 18, 20, 21, 22 & 23
The special election will take place on Feb 7 at local polling locations, but Early Voting is also available M-F from Jan 23 through Feb 3 at the Charleston County Voter Registration Office in North Charleston.
The Charleston County Democratic Party is not making an endorsement or recommendation for the District 6 special election between Daron Lee Calhoun II and Lee Runyon. However, the Charleston League of Women Voters is hosting an online forum between the two candidates tonight (Wednesday, Jan 25) at 6:00 pm. Anybody interested in learning more about the two candidates for the District 6 seat should RSVP at the button below to get the Zoom link.
Click on the following links to go to webpages for the two candidates: Lee Runyon and Daron Lee Calhoun II.
RSVP to the Jan 25 Online Forum
What Are Some Democratic Positions on Education?
The Charleston County Democratic Party is not making an endorsement or recommendation for the District 6 special election. However, here are a few Democratic platforms on education that you can judge candidates or Board members by:We support public education because it is a pillar of our democratic society. Schools should be subject to democratic control by their communities, parents should be involved in decisions about their children, and students’ confidential information should not be handed over to entrepeneurs and marketing agents. Students should be offered a full and rich curriculum, including in the arts, physical education, history, civics, foreign languages, mathematics, and the sciences.We support teachers and other professionals in our schools. Teachers should be supported as professionals when they make decisions about curriculum, teaching methods and selection of teaching materials. Every classroom should be led by a well-prepared, well-educated, and certified teacher, and assessments should be used to support children and teachers – not to punish them or hand out monetary awards. We support equitable funding of schools. Students with the greatest needs should receive extra resources, and we want schools to have the full range of resources that their students require: guidance counselors, social workers, librarians, and psychologists. Every school needs to have reasonable class sizes, and we support early childhood education and wraparound services for students (such as health clinics and after-school programs).
Folly Beach Special Election
The City of Folly Beach will also be holding a referendum vote on Feb 7. Voters in Folly Beach will be able to decide whether to limit short-term rentals in the community. Folly Beach voters can Vote Early M-F from Jan 23 through Feb 3 at the Charleston County Voter Registration Office in North Charleston, and the special election will take place on Feb 7 at Baptist Fellowship Hall in Folly Beach.
The Inflation Reduction Act Can Save You Money!
In case you missed it last week, we are again highlighting 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act passed in Washington D.C. The Inflation Reduction Act lowers energy costs and helps strengthen the clean-energy and manufacturing sectors of the American economy. While much of the landmark legislation is national in scope, the Inflation Reduction Act also helps Charleston County residents save on utility bills, buy an electric vehicle or energy-saving appliance, and benefit from other environmentally and economically friendly opportunities.
Learn More About the Inflation Reduction Act’s Rebates, Credits and Benefits
Upcoming Events
| WED JAN 25 6 PM | League of Women Voters District 6 Online Forum This is a virtual candidate forum for the CCSD School Board District 6 Special Election candidates, and is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area (LWVCA). Candidates Lee Runyon and Daron Lee Calhoun will have the opportunity to make opening remarks, respond to a series of question related to the CCSD school board created by the Charleston community and selected by LWV Charleston members, and will make closing remarks. There will be an opportunity for candidate rebuttals. You will receive a Zoom link to the forum after you register. The forum will be also be streamed on LWVCA’s Facebook page and it will be available for viewing after the event on the League’s website. The special election will occur on Tuesday, February 7th. RSVP Here> |
| THU JAN 26 7 PM | SCDP Labor & Progressive Caucus Monthly Meeting Are you interested in progressing South Carolina and protecting labor rights? Maybe you are new to the state and want to get involved with pushing for REAL change, but are unsure of how to get involved. Join the SCDP Labor & Progressive Caucus every 4th Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. RSVP Here> |
| MON FEB 6 6 PM | Charleston County Democratic Women February Meeting Our guest speaker will be Dr. Lisa Ross with the Lowcountry Period Project. This group donates menstrual hygiene products to over 100 facilities monthly including schools, shelters, resettled refugees, food banks, free medical clinics etc.We will be collecting donations, and checks or cash donations will be happily accepted. As an organization we will also write letters to our SC legislators to have them support the purchase of these supplies tax free and provide them in schools for the girls .RSVP Here>CCDP Office> |
| TUE FEB 7 | School Board District 6 Special Election This election will fill the vacant School Board seat in District 6, which covers parts of West Ashley and North Charleston. Click on the following link to see if your home falls within District 6, or you can visit scvotes.gov to confirm whether you live in the following eligible precincts:St Andrews 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 15, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 36 & 37North Charleston 18, 20, 21, 22 & 23The special election will take place on Feb 7 at local polling locations, but Early Voting is also available M-F from Jan 23 through Feb 3 at the Charleston County Voter Registration Office in North Charleston. Early Vote Here>Find Your Feb 7 Voting Location> |
| TUE FEB 7 | Folly Beach Referendum Election The City of Folly Beach will be holding a referendum vote to decide whether to limit short-term rentals in the community. Residents of the City of Folly Beach can Vote Early M-F from Jan 23 through Feb 3 at the Charleston County Voter Registration Office in North Charleston, and the special election will take place on Feb 7 at Baptist Fellowship Hall in Folly Beach. Early Vote Here>Baptist Fellowship Hall – Feb 7 Voting Location> |
| THU FEB 16 6:30PM | Charleston County Democratic Party Monthly Meeting Join us for our monthly meeting at the Charleston County Democratic Party headquarters located at 1379 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29407 at 6:30 P.M.A hybrid option for this meeting is being offered. Once you register via mobilize a zoom link will be emailed to you to join virtually. RSVP Here>CCDP Office> |
| THU 8:30AM | Coffee with Democrats Join fellow Democrats for a cup of coffee and great conversation. At Wildflour Pastry from 8:30-10 AM. No specific topics. Come for the whole time or just a little while. Wildflour Pastry |
Give Back
Blessing Box Donations Needed!
Please consider donating to our CCDP Blessing Box. You can #StockTheBox at any time, or drop off items to the office during office hours or by appointment. Our community members appreciate and depend on our kindness!
A few things to remember when donating Blessing Box items:
- DO donate non-perishable items that will hold up in the weather
- example: canned vegetables and meats/fish, sauces in jars, boxes of rice or pasta
- protip: donate items that don’t require milk/butter/oil to prepare, get cans with pop-tops that don’t require can openers
- DO donate small personal care items that will fit in the blessing box
- example toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant,
- DO NOT donate any open or expired items.
Lowcountry Period Project Supplies Needed!
Did you know that our volunteers build period packs in support of the Homeless Period Project? The project provides pre-made kits for homeless shelters and nurse’s offices at Title IX schools in the Lowcountry. These items are a luxury to homeless women and girls and many are forced to choose between hygiene and food. Please consider donating the following items so we can continue to support this amazing project!
-individually-wrapped feminine pads
-individually-wrapped tampons
-individually-wrapped wipes
-individually-wrapped panty liners
Thanks again for your generosity!
Email wecare@charlestondemocrats.com to arrange a drop off time.
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