Removing barriers to local civic participation and fostering a culture of joyful & celebrated civic engagement in
South Carolina. Join us.

OUR MISSION:

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 South Carolina.

UPCOMING EVENTS

WHY LOCAL:

State and local elected officials and governments shape our lives. They make decisions impacting everything from kids’ education, closing the racial wealth gap, expanding healthcare, and voter access.

AND, YET….

  • 58%

    decrease in local civic meeting attendance over the last 20 years

  • 84%

    of eligible registered South Carolina voters do not vote in local elections

  • 4in10

    say not knowing roles Secretary of State or Attorney General play prevents participation

BE THE ONES:

We cannot meaningfully improve peoples lives and communities without addressing the civic information and participation health crisis.

This is where Be The Ones comes in.


Civic participation is an essential component of a healthy democracy and well-functioning society. But, it’s hard to participate if you don’t know when elections are, elected leaders’ jobs & how their decisions impact issues we care about. How can you advocate for better outcomes if you don’t know how systems work. It’s impossible to run for office if you don’t know what you’re running for?

We work to identify and close local civic information and participation gaps and foster a culture of joyful and celebrated civic participation in South Carolina..

Our programs aim to inform, connect, and activate so you can participate - from the ballot box to fixing that pesky pothole.

While we believe every person deserves access to information & opportunities, our programs are designed to expand power among historically and systemically excluded communities.

  • "I didn't realize how much my vote mattered until one of my local races was decided by just 16 votes. My vote meant we were going to have better school programs for my son and his classmates."

    -Brendan

  • "Mis padres y mi familia votan, pero sólo porque paso muchas horas ayudándoles a entender por qué su voto es importante. No sólo dedico tiempo a ayudarles antes de las elecciones, sino que tengo que dedicar muchas horas a encontrar la información para compartirla con ellos - y casi no existe información sobre los cargos de nuestra ciudad que pueda encontrar para ayudar a entender lo que hacen estas personas."

    -Kimberly

  • "I always hear "vote local," "local elections matter" - but what does that mean? Where is the information helping me understand why local elections matter and how these people impact my life. If I knew more I would probably care more."

    -Alyson

GET INVOLVED:

Join us in being the ones who shape the communities and democracy we want to be a part of. 

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Who gets to vote—and who gets left out? Join us this Wednesday at 7pm for a virtual conversation on how primary election laws shape voter access. Hear from experts and advocates fighting for fair elections in PA, FL, SC - and beyond! Regist
Be The Ones and ACLU SC are hosting “Let’s Talk DEI: Community Conversation & Advocacy Training” this Saturday (March 15th) from 11am - Noon for College of Charleston students. 📍 SC House Bill 3927, a bill that would forbid p
Women are the largest voting bloc in South Carolina. Yet, ✨real barriers✨ continue to hold them back - from voting, running, and leading. More and more women are finding Be The Ones as their on-ramp and civic home - a place to get informed, activat
March is the perfect time to put a little spring in our step and level up our advocacy game! Join us for short, action packed, interactive virtual trainings every Wednesday this month. ➡️ More info & register for one or all: betheones.org/advoc