People assembling a curbside voting location

South Carolina Voter Information

Important dates

Upcoming Local Elections across South Carolina and Yearly Elections Calendar

https://scvotes.gov/elections-statistics/upcoming-elections/

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Local Elections

Polls Open 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Registration Deadlines

  • In Person: Friday, October 6th
  • Online: Sunday, October 8th
  • By Mail: Monday, October 9th (postmarked)

Absentee Ballots

You can submit your request for an application as early as January 1st of the election year. Call, visit or send your request by U.S. mail to your county voter registration office. You must provide your name, date of birth and last four digits of your Social Security Number. You will be mailed an application.

Given mail delays, we recommend that you request and return your absentee ballot application as soon as possible.

  • Deadline to return your absentee ballot application: Friday, October 27th at 5:00pm.
  • Deadline to return your completed ballot: Ballot must be received by 7pm on Tuesday, November 7th (Election Day) in order to be counted. 

Early Voting

Monday, October 23rd – Saturday, November 4th
Note that in-person early voting runs Monday-Saturday, in-person early voting is closed on Sundays and any State Holiday.
We encourage voters to check your county election’s website for additional information.

Voter checklist

Do you know who is on your ballot?

We’ve compiled an index of some of the major elected positions in state and local government and their functions to help you prepare to vote and become acquainted with how state and local government impacts your life and your community.

View the guide

Know your rights

Under Federal law, you have a right to:

  • Vote free from intimidation.
  • Cast a vote by provisional ballot if there is uncertainty regarding your registration status or eligibility.
  • Receive assistance when voting if you are unable to vote unaided due to blindness, disability, illiteracy, or inability to read English; and you have a right to choose who assists you, so long as they are not your employer or union representative.

Under South Carolina law, you have a right to:

  • Vote from your vehicle (curbside voting) if you are over 65 years old or have a disability that prevents you from entering your polling place or cannot stand in line.
  • Vote prior to sentencing, if you are a pre-trial detainee not yet convicted of a crime.
  • Vote after serving a felony conviction if you have served your entire sentence, including probation or parole. Voting rights are automatically restored after completion of the sentence.

ID requirements

When voting in-person on Election Day, you will be asked to present one of the following forms of ID:

  • SC Driver’s License
  • SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
  • Photo ID issued by SC Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Federal Military ID
  • US Passport
  • SC Voter Registration Card w/ Photo

Don’t have an ID?

You can vote in person by provisional ballot without a photo ID if you have an accepted reason. South Carolina’s photo ID law contains a “reasonable impediment” exception that recognizes many reasons why you may not have a photo ID, such as:

  • you have religious objections to being photographed;
  • you have a disability or are ill;
  • you have a conflict with your work schedule;
  • lack of birth certificate;
  • you have family responsibilities;
  • you do not have a copy of your birth certificate;
  • you lack transportation or money to get to the county election office or DMV;
  • the election takes place within a short time frame; or
  • there is another obstacle that YOU find reasonable.

If you qualify to vote without a photo ID due to a “reasonable impediment,” follow these steps:

  • Inform the poll managers that you do not have a photo ID and could not get one;
  • Present your current, non-photo voter registration card;
  • Sign an affidavit identifying yourself and your reason for not having an accepted photo ID; and
  • Cast a provisional ballot.

The provisional ballot that you cast is presumed valid and will be counted unless the county election office has reason to believe that your affidavit is false.

Forgot your ID?

You can cast a provisional ballot if you forgot your ID. You must show a Photo ID to the election commissioner prior to certification of the election (typically the Thursday or Friday after the election).

Report issues

Have you experienced or observed voter suppression efforts (e.g. polling place changes, voter purges, intimidation, or local practices that result in long waits to vote on Election Day)?

Report an issue

About Voting Rights Defender

LDF’s Voting Rights Defender (“VRD”) project broadens monitoring and tracking of voter suppression efforts in targeted jurisdictions months in advance of Election Day to identify as early as possible those suppression measures that warrant a responsive action.

Learn more about the Voting Rights Defender project

Our local partners

VRD will connect local partners with a resource team to combat suppressive measures using public exposure/media coverage, advocacy efforts with local actors/decisionmakers (e.g. calls, letters, petitions), and, if necessary, litigation.

Disclaimer: The information here is a resource and not legal advice. It is provided for informational purposes only and not as a substitute for or supplement to the legal advice necessary to address the specific concerns of any individual. Moreover, South Carolina may revise its laws after the publication of this site. Therefore, it is your responsibility to determine how all applicable laws concerning voter registration, voting, and the restoration of voting rights in South Carolina affect you.