“No” means “yes” when South Carolina legislators voice vote

South Carolina’s House has passed rules that will turn shouts of “no” into a chorus of “yes” votes.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell is a Charleston Republican who pushed the rule change that means all voice votes will be recorded as “yes” unless a member tells the clerk afterward in
person to record their vote as “no.“

Accountability advocates said Thursday that’s a step that’s going to make it more difficult for the public to understand how legislators vote and even record representatives as voting when
they weren’t in the chamber.

Harrell said the rule will put every action of the House on the record and keep legislators from claiming they supported or opposed something when they didn’t.