Michael Addison is a South Carolina community organizer and the United Citizens candidate for governor in 2026. His campaign biography describes a background in health care administration and property damage assessment, including work as a medical director and asbestos inspector. It also describes his work with R.A.C.E., a community organization involved in foreclosure prevention, job training and assistance for people experiencing homelessness.
Case
Networked automated license-plate cameras can assemble searchable records of vehicle movements. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to ban the systems, keep them with limits, or defend them as investigative tools. This tracker separates outright bans from narrower restrictions.
Role at the time: United Citizens Party candidate for governor of South Carolina, in an email to Dispute Index
Statement summary
Michael Addison, the United Citizens candidate for South Carolina governor, said in an email to Dispute Index that he supports police use of Flock-style cameras to investigate crimes but opposes their use for spying, political targeting or monitoring people at a church, meeting or lawful protest, and proposed six statewide safeguards, including judicial authorization for prolonged tracking and short retention limits.
“I would support these networks only when enforceable safeguards protect both.”
I support changes to the use of Flock-style license plate camera networks in South Carolina. I support law enforcement using them to investigate crimes and identify vehicles connected to those crimes. I oppose their use for personal spying, political targeting, or monitoring people simply because they attend a church, meeting, or lawful protest. As governor, I would work with the General Assembly to establish clear, enforceable statewide safeguards: 1. Accountable access: Require a documented investigative or emergency purpose for every database search and watchlist entry, restrict access to trained personnel, and log all activity. 2. Judicial oversight: Require judicial authorization for prolonged tracking of a person's movements, with narrow emergency exceptions and prompt judicial review afterward. 3. Limited retention: Set a short, firm deadline for deleting routine scans, allowing longer preservation only for evidence connected to a documented case. 4. Controlled sharing: Prohibit selling the data and unrestricted sharing. Other agencies must identify an authorized purpose and follow the same privacy rules. 5. Accuracy: Require human verification of camera alerts before officers take enforcement action. 6. Enforcement: Require independent audits, public reporting on use and effectiveness, and meaningful penalties for misuse. South Carolinians deserve effective law enforcement and protection of their constitutional rights. I would support these networks only when enforceable safeguards protect both.
The case asks whether Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks should exist. Addison supports investigative use but conditions it on enforceable safeguards and opposes surveillance of lawful activity, so we labeled it Mixed or conditional. The strongest remedy he proposes is judicial authorization for prolonged tracking of a person's movements, so we placed it at Warrant on the remedy ladder, although his warrant rule covers prolonged tracking rather than every search.
Statement dates: October 5, 2026
Statement dates: October 5, 2026
Statement dates: October 5, 2026
Statement dates: October 5, 2026
