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South Carolina Local Elections

Local elections occur all throughout the year. To find local elections in your community, please look at the South Carolina Elections Commission Resource.

South Carolina

Upcoming Election Dates & Registration Deadlines

Some elections in this list are local and do not apply for all South Carolina voters. Please click the “View all” button below to view all election dates in your state.

Next Election: Primary
Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Registration Deadlines

Sunday, May 12, 2024
By Mail
Sunday, May 12, 2024
In Person
Sunday, May 12, 2024

05

Nov
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
General

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South Carolina Voting Information

Absentee Ballot Process

Absentee voting by mail is available if you meet any of the criteria below. The deadline to return your absentee ballot application is at 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day prior to the election. Voted ballots must be received by 7pm on Election Day in order to be counted. You can track your absentee ballot here.

  • Persons who will be absent from their county of residence during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons with employment obligations which prevent them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons attending a sick or physically disabled person which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons confined to a jail or pretrial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons with physical disabilities.
  • Persons sixty-five years of age or older.
  • Members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them (Learn more about procedures related to Military and Overseas Citizens).
  • Persons admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a four-day period before the election (see additional details below).

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.  
  • See the details on the absentee process at the South Carolina Election Commission's Absentee Voting page https://www.scvotes.gov/absentee-voting  (including how Immediate Family Members and Authorized Representatives can request a voter's application.)

To check the status of your absentee ballot, please use your state's tool.

Campaign Finance Information

For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

For information on state campaign contributions, please visit your state's resource.

Candidate and Ballot Measure Information

Information on local, state and federal candidates and ballot measures may be available here.

 

Candidate and Ballot Measure Information

Information on local, state and federal candidates and ballot measures may be available here.

 

Drop Boxes

No drop boxes are available. Vote and return the ballot to your county voter registration office either by mail or personal delivery.  Place the ballot in the "ballot here-in" envelope and place the "ballot here-in" envelope in the return envelope.  Be sure to sign the voter's oath and have your signature witnessed.  Anyone can witness your signature.  A notary is not necessary.   

Early Voting

You may vote early during a two-week early voting period. You can vote at any early voting location in your county (locations may be found at https://www.scvotes.gov/early-voting) and vote exactly the same way you would at your polling place on Election Day. You must still show an acceptable form of photo ID in order to cast your ballot.

For more information, please contact your local elections officials.

 

Election Dates

To view a list of ALL upcoming elections in South Carolina click here

The next election dates can be found here https://www.vote411.org/south-carolina.

Contact your local Board of Elections for more information.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to vote you must be:

  • A United States citizen
  • At least 18 years old on or before the election
  • A resident of South Carolina
  • Not under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent
  • Not confined in any public prison resulting from a conviction of a crime

Incarcerated Voters & Returning Citizens: 

In South Carolina, you lose your right to vote if you are incarcerated after a criminal conviction (felony or misdemeanor). People who were incarcerated for misdemeanors can register to vote immediately after their release, while people who were convicted of felony offenses or election offenses must complete their sentence—including incarceration, parole, and probation—before registering to vote. Pretrial detention does not restrict your voting rights in South Carolina. 

Voters without traditional residence: 

If you do not have a street address or a permanent residence, use the map provided on your voter registration form to show where you live or spend most of your time, with landmarks and road names. If you do not receive mail at your residential address, the mailing address on their registration form can be a P.O. box, local shelter, advocacy organization, outreach center, or the home of someone who will accept mail for you. 

ID Needed for Voter Registration

If you are registering for the first time by mail, you must attach a copy of a current valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address in the county where you wish to vote.

If you do not provide this identification information by mail, you will be required to provide it when you vote.

ID Needed for Voting

You must show an acceptable form of photo ID in order to vote.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

  • South Carolina Driver's License
  • ID Card Issued by South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
  • South Carolina Voter Registration Card with Photo
  • Federal Military ID
  • U.S. Passport

If you do not have one of the above photo IDs, you can get one for free by:

  • Registered voters can get a voter registration card with a photo from their county voter registration and elections office by providing their date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security number.
  • Get a DMV ID card at a local DMV office. To see what documentation is required click here.

If you do not have a photo ID on Election Day you may be able to vote a provisional ballot after showing your non-photo voter registration card. You must have a reasonable impediment to obtaining a photo ID in order to vote the provisional ballot. Reasonable impediments include:

  • Religious objection to being photographed
  • Disability or illness
  • Work schedule
  • Lack of transportation
  • Lack of birth certificate
  • Family responsibilities
  • Any other obstacle you find reasonable

To vote under the reasonable impediment exception:

  • Present your current, non-photo registration card at the polling place
  • Sign an affidavit stating why you cannot obtain a photo ID
  • Cast a provisional ballot that will be counted unless the county election commission has reason to believe your affidavit is false.

If you do not have a photo ID and do not have a reasonable impediment to obtaining one, or you forgot to bring it with you to the polls, you may still vote a provisional ballot. However, for your vote to be counted you must provide one of the photo IDs to the county election commission prior to certification of the election (usually the Thursday or Friday after the election).

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline

Official Results

Official results are never available on Election Day. Election officials are working around the clock to count an unprecedented number of ballots, and it’s essential that they take the time to make sure every vote is counted.

Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day. Provisional ballots are counted before the Friday after a General Election.

Official election results will be uploaded on South Carolina’s Election Commission website as they become available. 

Official Results
Overseas and Military Voters

You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Poll Worker Information

You can make sure we have safe, fair, and efficient elections for all. Become a poll worker today!

In order to be a poll worker in South Carolina, you must be:

  • Registered to vote in South Carolina
  • At least 18 years of age
  • A resident of the county 30 days prior to the election
  • Complete required training
  • Students 16 years or older may serve as poll manager's assistant

You will be entitled to compensation. You can fill out the application to become a poll worker here!

To sign up, contact your local board of elections.

Polling Place Hours

The polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Polling Place Locator

You can find your polling place by utilizing your state resource.

If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.

Primary Election Process

South Carolina is an “open primary” state. You can choose the party’s ballot you wish to vote. This decision does not register you with that party and it is a private decision.

In a primary election if a candidate does not with the majority of the votes (50%+1) there will be a primary runoff election scheduled for a few weeks after the primary election date. The runoff election will have the top two candidates with the most votes to ensure that one of them receives the majority of the voters.

If you have any questions about your state’s primary election, please contact your local election officials.

Provisional Voting

You may vote a provisional ballot if you meet specific conditions.

You can cast a provisional ballot if:

  • A poll manager or any voter has reason to believe that you might be ineligible to vote
  • Your name does not appear on the voter registration rolls
  • You do not have your proper photo ID

All provisional ballots are kept separate and not counted on election night. You will be given written instructions on the time and place of the provisional ballot hearings and, if the voter registration office can determine you were registered, the provisional ballot will be counted.

Provisional Ballots are counted before the Friday after a General Election or the Thursday after a Primary or Runoff Election. You can check the status of your provisional ballot online.

Provisions for Voters with Disabilities

Assistance in marking a ballot is allowed only if you are blind, illiterate or physically handicapped. If you are entitled to receive assistance you may choose anyone to assist except your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union.

If you, because of physical handicap or age (65 or older,) cannot enter the polling place in which you are registered to vote, or are unable to stand in line to vote, you may vote outside that polling place in the closest available parking area utilizing the vehicle in which you have driven or have been driven to the polls.

Each precinct offers an accessible voting machine featuring an audio ballot, headphones and braille.

For more information, you can utilize the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) resource.

Registration Deadline

You must be registered 30 days prior to Election Day.

You can now register to vote online! To register online you must:

You can register to vote any time online, however, you must complete the form before the 30 day deadline in order to vote in the next election. If you register online after 30 days before the election you'll be able to vote in the following election.

You may also download a voter registration form, complete it, and return it via mail, fax, email, or in person to your county board of voter registration. Mail applications must be postmarked at least 30 days before the election to be eligible.

There is no length of residency requirement in South Carolina in order to register to vote.

 

Time Off To Vote

Time off to vote is subject to the employer, there is no requirement for employers to grant time off to vote for employees.

Verify Voter Registration

To verify your voter registration status

click here!
Voting Machines

The voting system used in South Carolina is a paper-based voting system.

Paper-Based Voting System: After signing in at your polling place, voters are given a blank ballot card to insert into the voting machine. Voters then make their selections by touching the screen on the voting machine. After completing the last page, hit the "next" button on the machine to review your selections. You can change a selection at this time, or move forward with the process by clicking "next." 

Once you are done making your selections, print your ballot by pressing the PRINT CARD icon found at the bottom of the voting machine screen. Review the printed ballot card - if you need to make a change to the card you can contact a poll manager to ask for a replacement. When you're ready to cast your ballot, take the ballot card to the scanner and insert it face down on the green arrow. The scanner counts your vote and places the paper ballot into a locked ballot box.

For more information, please contact the South Carolina Election Commission.

Personalized voting information

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South Carolina Department of State

State Election Commission

2221 Devine St. Suite 105

PO Box 5987

Columbia 29250-5987


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