Pancakes & Policy: April 1st
Hot off the griddle! Welcome to Pancakes & Policy, Be The Ones’ new weekly newsletter - your Saturday morning dose of democracy. Quick, digestible, and stacked with what you need to know about what's happening in the South Carolina State House.
📌 Want to dive deeper into our priorities and plans? Read more here
Grab a fork, let's dig in.🍴
⏳ BUZZER BEATER SEASON: THE CLOCK IS RUNNING OUT
A quick reminder: South Carolina’s General Assembly only meets January through early May each year. They’re in session Tuesday–Thursday, with scheduled furlough weeks built in each session (think: legislative spring break… kind of).
The House already took a week off in March, and both chambers will be on furlough April 6–10.
That means as of April 1… there are only 12 working days left for lawmakers to get things done — including passing the state budget. (And, no this is not an April Fools joke, y’all)
Things are about to move fast.
And while our March Madness brackets are heading into the final rounds (let’s go Gamecocks), many democracy-related bills are still sitting on the bench — suited up, but waiting to be called into the game.
Here’s what you need to know.
🗳 PRIMARY ELECTION PROPOSSALS
There’s been ongoing back-and-forth about proposals to close South Carolina’s primaries (you can revisit our February and March breakdown for more context).
Right now:
These bills haven’t moved out of committee
Much of the debate is happening internally within parties
We’re feeling confident that this is not a House priority this session
🏀 Bottom line: We wouldn’t put these bills in the final round of our legislative bracket this year.
👉 Want to learn more about primaries, the history and importance of Open Primaries, watch this conversation we hosted in March 2024 David Thornburgh (Chair, Ballot PA), Jeremy Gruber (Senior Vice President, Open Primaries), and Dariel Cruz Rodriguez (Co-Founder, Students For Open Primaries & Organizer).
📅 WHAT IS MOVING: H.3557
One bill to watch: H.3557 passed its second reading in the Senate (40–1 vote) on March 31.
This bill changes how candidates file to run for office in South Carolina:
Key updates:
⏱️ Shortens the filing window From 11 business days to 8 business days
💰 Requires filing fees for all party candidates (standardizing expectations)
Why this matters: A shorter filing window means less time for candidates, especially newer or grassroots candidates, to navigate the process.
Also worth noting: Bills don’t always move quickly. This one was introduced in January 2025, passed the House in March 2025, and only just reached the Senate floor for debate over a year later
⚖️ SC Supreme Court Update
A vote on South Carolina’s next Supreme Court Justice was expected in March… and then suddenly cancelled.
This is a big deal.
We broke this down in our recent two-part blog series — check out Part 1 and Part 2.
🗳️ New Leadership at the State Election Commission
After nearly a year of transition, South Carolina almost has a new Executive Director of the State Election Commission.
The Commission unanimously approved Conway Belangia as its next executive director on March 25. The appointment now heads to the state Senate for final approval.
The Executive Director serves as the state’s chief election official, overseeing day-to-day operations and helping ensure elections are run smoothly, securely, and consistently across South Carolina - especially important heading into a major election cycle.
📬 What We’re Watching: Watson v. RNC
A U.S. Supreme Court decision is expected in June in Watson v. RNC - and it could directly impact vote-by-mail across the country.
At the center of the case:
Whether courts can require states to count certain mail ballots that arrive after Election Day
How federal vs. state authority applies to ballot deadlines
Why this matters:
Mail voting timelines are already tight (especially with USPS changes)
This decision could affect whether ballots must be received vs. sent by Election Day
It could determine whether some ballots are counted — or rejected
📢 Federal Noise vs. Local Reality
Between the SAVE Act, executive orders, and constant national headlines… there’s a lot of noise - and a lot of confusion - right now.
Here’s the grounding truth:
Our elections are not, will not, and cannot be cancelled.
But, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be (and already aren’t) attempts to make people feel like their vote doesn’t count, create confusion or fear, add new barriers to participation.
And while DC dominates the headlines, most decisions about voting access happen at the state and local level.That’s why understanding what’s happening here matters.
👉 Catch up by watching our Our Elections Are Not Cancelled Session here
👋 BUILDING ADVOCACY SKILLS ACROSS SC
One thing this moment has made clear: people want tools. They want to understand the legislative process. They want to know how to testify, how a bill moves, how committees work, and how to advocate effectively.
That’s why we’re thrilled to share that we’re expanding our training offerings this year — including:
Legislative Process 101
Advocacy & Testimony Workshops
Redistricting & Gerrymandering Education
Civic Engagement & Power-Building Trainings
And more!
If your organization, campus, faith community, or coalition is interested in partnering with us on a training or workshop, we’d love to collaborate.
📍 WHY IT MATTERS
When national news feels overwhelming, it’s easy to feel disconnected or powerless. But the truth is this: local engagement matters—deeply. South Carolinians have real power at the local and state level, and it needs our attention.
Be The Ones will continue showing up, tracking these bills, testifying when it counts, and breaking things down in plain language so more people can engage with confidence.
👉 If you want to plug in, learn more, or build your advocacy skills, we offer trainings, guides, and resources to help you do just that. Email our Advocay & Community Organizing Director, Dylan Gunnels to learn more and let’s chat: dylan@betheones.org
Be The Ones is a nonpartisan grassroots organization building healthier communities, a more equitable democracy, and expanding power by removing barriers to local civic participation across the South Carolina.
