Personal Injury Attorney in Orangeburg, SC

South Carolina's top law enforcement agency is investigating following an incident at an Orangeburg County early voting center Wednesday morning.The confrontation took place at the Orangeburg County Library voting center when a man, identified by public safety officers as Mark Allen Morris, 54, was turned away from voting and argued with poll workers. According to a redacted incident report from Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, released by Columbia news station WIS10, Morris told the responding officers that the argument started over his hat, which read “Let’s Go Brandon,” a conservative slogan opposing President Joe Biden.

South Carolina voters are prohibited by law from wearing political attire, including attire with candidate or party names or associated slogans, to the polls.

Learn the dos and don'ts of voting:Poll security, early voting top of mind for Upstate election officials, organizations

The incident was recorded by a witness, who saw the argument turn physical with Morris poking a poll worker in the forehead and being struck by her in response.

The incident is under investigation by SLED, according to spokesperson Renee Wunderlich. The investigation is ongoing. The South Carolina Democratic Party released a statement Thursday following the incident. “The law is clear: no campaign materials or attire is allowed within 500 feet of the poll to ensure a fair, intimidation-free voting environment. It’s outrageous to see this type of aggression escalate to physical confrontation toward poll workers, especially when many of our Poll Managers are dedicated, older volunteers simply there to make our election process run smoothly. The incident highlights the need to engage more people to work with our full-time election officials to ensure our elections run efficiently and are free of physical intimidation,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said. “We urge everyone to remember the importance of respect in our democratic process and to show consideration for the people working hard to make sure everyone in South Carolina has the right to vote.”Orangeburg County Sherriff Leroy Ravenell released a statement on the office’s Facebook page Thursday. “The safety and security of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, is paramount to me. As public servants, it is our desire that everyone has the freedom to exercise their right to vote free of intimidation and fear, along with our poll workers being able to do their civic duty-free of violence and harassment. I, along with my team, have developed a plan to make sure there is a visible presence around the county beginning tomorrow throughout November 5th as our county goes to the polls. The increased presence will allow us to have an expedited response for calls of service by Poll Managers should they arise”.

Early voting will continue through Saturday in South Carolina.

Samantha Swann covers city news, development and culture in Spartanburg. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her atsswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sam_on_spartanburg.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)- The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating after an altercation broke out Wednesday at an early voting site in Orangeburg County.

Multiple videos of the incident have circulated on social media over the past 24 hours.

Video obtained by News 2 shows a man wearing a camouflage “Let’s Go Brandon” hat while trying to vote. After being told he could not vote until the hat was removed, he begins shouting expletives at poll workers.

One worker can be heard telling others “We cannot serve him”, and calling for the next voter in line.

He then removes the hat from his head and throws it toward the entrance, according to a video obtained by NBC.

The altercation then turns physical and one poll worker is seen hitting the man after he gets close to her. The shouting continues as poll workers and other voters attempt to break up the fight, the video shows.

“It’s outrageous to see this type of aggression escalate to physical confrontation toward poll workers, especially when many of our Poll Mangers are dedicated, older volunteers simply there to make our election process run smoothly,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain said in an Oct. 31 statement. “This incident highlights the need to engage more people to work with our full-time election officials to ensure our elections run efficiently and are free of physical intimidation. We urge everyone to remember the importance of respect in our democratic process and to show consideration for the people working hard to make sure everyone in South Carolina has the right to vote.”

South Carolina is one of 21 states that restricts people from wearing political apparel while voting in person.

State law prohibits the display of campaign material within 500 feet of the entrance to a polling place. This includes posters, pamphlets, brochures, signs, buttons, hats, t-shirts, and other items referencing a political party, candidate name, or specific ballot issue.

“If the campaign material is displayed within 500 feet on the grounds of the polling place, Poll Managers can remove the material or require the person displaying or distributing the material to remove the material, cover the material, or otherwise cause the material not to be visible,” the South Carolina Election Commission’s handbook for poll managers states.

The handbook further states the material must be covered or removed before the voter check-in process can continue.

This story is developing.

A fight erupted at a South Carolina polling station after a man was told to remove his “Let’s Go Brandon” hat by poll workers before voting, shocking footage shows.

The man attempted to cast his vote at the old Orangeburg County Library on Wednesday while wearing a camo hat with the expression widely used as shorthand for “F–k Joe Biden.”

He began cursing at poll workers who told him he had to take it off under South Carolina state law.

Video obtained by WIS-TV shows poll workers asking the man to take the cap “outside” before he begins cursing at them.

“You f–cking bitch,” he tells one woman, as the other workers tell him to calm down.

“Shut the hell up and let me vote!” he yells.

Another female poll worker explains again that they cannot let him vote, and the man removes his hat and hurls it at the person next in line, the clip shows.

The man points his finger in the woman’s face and says something to her, who then begins to hit him.

The poll workers separate the pair initially but the man swings his arms and breaks through and starts to go after the woman who hit him, who exits through a door, video shows.

“Take him outside!” one poll worker repeatedly yells.

Under South Carolina Law, voters are not permitted to wear anything that displays a political party, candidate name or ballot issue.

Although the hat did not name the president — who is not up for reelection — the phrase has been common shorthand since 2021, when an NBC reporter interviewing NASCAR driver Brandon Brown thought chants of “F–k Joe Biden” were “Let’s Go Brandon.”

“The poll manager shall use every reasonable means to keep the area within five hundred feet of any such entrance clear of political literature and displays,” the law states.

“The county and municipal law enforcement officers, upon request of a poll manager, shall remove or cause to be removed any material within five hundred feet of any such entrance distributed or displayed in violation of this section,” it says.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed to the Post that it investigating the incident but declined to provide additional details.

Early voting in the Palmetto State kicked off on Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 2.

A Trump supporter was caught on video verbally and physically attacking poll workers who told him he couldn’t wear his pro-Trump hat near the polling place, according to state law.

South Carolina authorities are investigating an incident that was caught on viral video in which a man in a “Let’s Go Brandon” hat caused a disturbance at an Orangeburg, SC early voting location:

POLL WORKER: You’re not gonna be able to–.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP FAN: You fucking bitch!

CAMERA PERSON: Oh wow!

(CROSSTALK)

Sir, listen, don’t cuss at me–.

TRUMP FAN: This is my motherfuckin’ right right here!

POLL WORKER: (INAUDIBLE).

TRUMP FAN: A’ight then shut the hell up and let me vote!

POLL WORKER: We ain’t got nothing else to say! We cannot serve you! We’re gonna move on.

TRUMP FAN: (THROWS HAT) There it is right there!

POLL WORKER: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

TRUMP FAN: (GABS POLL WORKER’S HANDS – SHE RECOILS).

POLL WORKER: Don’t do that!

CAMERA PERSON: My God. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

(TRUMP FAN ADVANCES — POLL WORKERS RESTRAIN TRUMP FAN).

POLL WORKER: TAKE HIM OUTSIDE!

According to WIS10, “The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the fight”:

According to sources, the Orangeburg County Department of Public Safety responded to the fight.

South Carolina law restricts what people can wear to go vote. Voters are not allowed to wear anything that displays a political party, candidate name or ballot issue.

The law says, “The poll manager shall use every reasonable means to keep the area within five hundred feet of any such entrance clear of political literature and displays, and the county and municipal law enforcement officers, upon request of a poll manager, shall remove or cause to be removed any material within five hundred feet of any such entrance distributed or displayed in violation of this section.”

The fight follows several incidents at polling places, including another Trump fan who brandished a machete at supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Watch above via X/ Twitter.

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|Updated: Oct. 31, 2024 at 9:57 AM EDT

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - State authorities are investigating after a fight broke out at an early voting location Wednesday in Orangeburg County on Louis Street.

Read more:

WIS News 10 obtained a 1:26-minute video showing the moments leading up to the physical altercation. The video begins with what appears to show poll workers asking a man, identified by authorities as Mark Morris to remove his hat.

Morris could then be heard shouting explicitly, referring to a poll worker as a “f****** b****,” before snatching off the hat, flipping it around, and telling another poll worker it’s his “mother******* right.”

He then proceeds to yell at the poll workers telling them to “shut the hell up and let me vote.”

The video then shows, another poll worker, identified by authorities as Angela Buchannon-Glover, step in attempting to diffuse the situation and could be heard saying, “We ain’t got nothing else to say and we’re going to move on.”

As the next voter in line is called up to check in the vote, Morris could be seen turning toward Buchannon-Glover before taking his hat off and tossing it in the hall.

Morris was wearing a hat with the phrase, “Let’s Go Brandon.” That phrase began circulating in 2021 and according to the Associated Press, is a conservative code for “F—- Joe Biden.”

South Carolina law restricts what people can wear to go vote. Voters are not allowed to wear anything that displays a political party, candidate name, or ballot issue.

The law says, "The poll manager shall use every reasonable means to keep the area within five hundred feet of any such entrance clear of political literature and displays, and the county and municipal law enforcement officers, upon request of a poll manager, shall remove or cause to be removed any material within five hundred feet of any such entrance distributed or displayed in violation of this section."

Morris is then seen turning toward Buchannon-Glover again where he appears to point in her face. It is unclear from the angle of the video if Morris made physical contact with Buchannon-Glover.

Directly after their exchange, Buchannon-Glover hits Morris. The two are then separated by the group of poll workers as Morris is seen attempting to hit Buchannon-Glover back.

The Orangeburg County Department of Public Safety responded to the fight but was not at the polling place during the time of the altercation.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the fight.

Early voting is taking place in South Carolina until Nov. 2.

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