Jackson talks voter participation during Pee Dee visit

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says he wants to see a big turnout in his native South Carolina during next month’s Democratic presidential primary.

Local media outlets report that Jackson spoke at a church in Florence on Sunday during a service commemorating the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Jackson told the congregation that the road to the White House leads through South Carolina. He said that while 1.2 million African-Americans are eligible to vote in the state, only about 900,000 are registered to do so.

Jackson has started an effort to get another 100,000 African-Americans registered. He said the focus of the election should be on attacking poverty.

The South Carolina Democratic presidential primary is Feb. 27.

Associated Press

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 8:01 AM with the headline "Jackson talks voter participation during Pee Dee visit."