Beaufort County Democratic Party
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VOLUNTEER
The BCDP is looking for volunteers to serve as precinct officers, candidates interested in running for office, people to host fundraisers, among other activities. If you are interested in volunteering, please click on the link above and tell us about your interest area. Thank you.
STAY CONNECTED
BCDP's Facebook page includes updated information and an events page. Please like our page to widen our impact.
NEWS AND EVENTS
Honoring Women's History Month
Mary Gordon Ellis
Mary Gordon Ellis was the first woman to serve in the South Carolina Senate. She was elected in 1928 representing Jasper County. She focused on reforming education including requiring compulsory education for all students in the state as well as equal educational opportunities for African American children. She also advocated for large public roles for women. She was defeated 4 years later in her bid for re-election, unable to campaign as she was suffering from uterine cancer which ultimately caused her death in 1934. It would take another 50 years until the next woman was elected to the South Carolina Senate (1979) with the election of Elizabeth Patterson.
Harriet Frazier Johnson of York County was the first woman elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1945. Johnson ran at the urging of the professional group American Association of University Women and had a female campaign manager. She defeated her three male opponents, winning by 5 votes. At the time, the rules of the Assembly required that all members be referred to as "Mr." and legislation had to be introduced to allow her to use "Mrs." during House debates. She focused on educational issues and introduced bills entitling all children in South Carolina access to textbooks as well as increased educational opportunities for African American girls.
Today, women continue to be significantly under-represented in the South Carolina Legislature. Women comprised less than 18 percent of all Senators and Representatives in the SC Assembly ranking 46 out of all states with the least number of women lawmakers.
Join a Democratic Club in Your Area
There are four membership clubs in the Beaufort County Democratic Party that facilitate Democrats and those interested in Democratic politics to meet on a regular basis, be educated by engaging speakers, and participate in social activities.
To find out more about these Clubs, their activities, and how to join as a member, please click the appropriate link below. Each Club maintains its own membership e-mail list, Facebook page, and website separate from the BCDP. The Presidents of each of these clubs participate as active members of the Executive Committee of the BCDP.
Please note that there is NO membership fee or requirement to be involved with a Democratic Club in order to be active with the Beaufort County Democratic Party (BCDP).
All Clubs are meeting via Zoom at this time.
Democratic Club - North of the Broad
Meeting: 3rd Thursday of the Month at 7:00 PM
Contact:
Bluffton Democratic Club
Meeting:: 1st Wednesday of the Month at 6:00 PM
Contact:
Democratic Club - South of the Broad
Meeting: 2nd Tuesday of the Month at 11:30 AM
Contact:
Meeting: 1st Wednesday of the Month at 6:30 PM
Contact:
For more information on the local Democratic Clubs:
BCDP Chair Mayra Rivera-Vazquez and BCDP Members with Democratic Senate Candidate (SC) Jaime Harrison at a recent celebration of the Clyburn Fellows in Charleston (From l-r): Kathleen Mardell Hughes, President, Bluffton Democratic Club, Jodie Srutek, Democratic Candidate for Beaufort County Council District 7, Rivera-Vazquez, and Nathan Campbell, Democratic Candidate for State Senate District 46.
The BCDP Calendar
Keep up to date with the Beaufort County Democrats by subscribing to our calendar. Click the button that says +Google Calendar in the lower right-hand corner of the calendar to subscribe. We encourage local Democrats to participate in as many government meetings and committees as possible. It is important that we advocate for Democratic values in our local communities.
Congratulations President Biden and Vice-President Harris
Start Planning For 2022
It is not too soon to start thinking about the 2022 mid-term elections. How would like to participate - as a candidate, as a precinct leader, as a volunteer? Whatever role you play - it will be critical to continuing making Democratic inroads in Beaufort County.
There are many elected positions open in 2022. We encourage everyone to consider whether this is a path they would like to pursue. The following partisan elected positions that currently have Republican incumbents will be up for election in November 2020:
Governor
Secretary of State
Treasurer
Comptroller General
Superintendent of Education
Agriculture Commissioner
Attorney General
U.S. Senate (Scott's Seat)
U.S. House of Representatives (Mace's seat)
SC State House 118
SC State House 120
SC State House 122
SC State House 123
SC State House 124
BC Sheriff
BC Probate Judge
BC Auditor
BC Treasurer
Beaufort County Council District 2
Beaufort County Council District 4
Beaufort County Council District 6
Beaufort County Council District 8
Beaufort County Council District 9
Beaufort County Council District 10
Beaufort County Council District 11
In addition, there will be non-partisan seats on the Bluffton Town Council up for election in 2019 and for the Hilton Head Town Council, the Beaufort City Council, and the Beaufort County School Board in 2020.
BCDP Chair consults with Presidential Candidate Joe Biden during Emily Clyburn's memorial service in Charleston.
Beaufort County at the SCDP Convention - June 2019