Black Vote Matters Bus criss crossing SC for Presidential Primary

The Black Voters Matter bus will be in the Charleston area on Saturday

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) —The Black Voters Matter bus will be in the Charleston area on Saturday.

The bus has been criss crossing South Carolina, encouraging people to get out and vote in the primary.

On Thursday, the Black Voters Matter Fund tour bus stopped in Columbia before heading to an event in Orangeburg.

“We’re just here to spread the word about voting, and the importance of participating in the upcoming primary. But to also let folks know that they have choices,” said Mika Gadsden, S.C. Coordinator with Black Voters Matter.

The bus is on an eight day tour, talking to voters in black communities.

“Concerns are that having free and equal access to voting, we want to make sure there aren’t any barriers in place.  So we help educate folks, we spread the word about voter protections,” said Gadsden.

They hope people will vote their conscience.

“We don’t tell people who to vote for. We just know this is a campaign against fear, this is a tour against fear. We just want people to exercise their rights and exercise their right to vote,” said Gadsden. “We show unconditional support to black communities. This is not transactional, this is not temporary. We want folks to trust us. So trust, listen and loving black communities is very important to us.”

“I really like how they’re encouraging the African American race to vote, I think that that’s really important,” said Jayla Berry, a student at Benedict College.

Voting is a right that people have fought and died for, and it’s important to exercise that right.

“Voting is our civic responsibility and duty and very, very important to impact us economically and socially,” said James Abrams, a local voter.

“It is a right that our generations before us have fought for, and the least we can do is come out here and vote,” said Jordan Giles, another local voter.