South Carolina

Election Day: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST on Election Day, or until the last person in line at 7 p.m. has voted. 

Absentee voters may vote by mail prior to Election Day. Absentee ballots must be received by the county elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Military and overseas voters casting their ballot by mail must mail their ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day. 

Early voters may vote at an early voting location for two weeks prior to Election Day.

How to Find your Polling Place: Visit the South Carolina Election Commission’s polling place locator webpage to determine where you vote.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in South Carolina if you:

• Are a resident of South Carolina
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
• Live in the precinct in which you want to vote
• Are a U.S. citizen

You are NOT eligible to vote in South Carolina if:

• You were disqualified from voting due to a court order
• You are in prison or jail for a conviction of any kind. (Does not include pre-trial detention.)
• You were convicted of an offense against state election laws and have not served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have not received a pardon

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you have been pardoned, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote

You are able to pre-register:

• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

How to register 

South Carolina residents may register to vote online at the South Carolina Election Commission’s website, by mail, email or fax, or in person at your county board of voter registration. 

Voters seeking to register prior to the election must do so at least 30 days prior to the date of election.

South Carolina law does not define the period of residency for voter registration. Applicants are asked on the voter registration application to provide their address in South Carolina, sign an oath affirming that they meet the legal qualifications to register and vote, and to provide a document that bears their name and address (e.g., driver’s license, utility bill, pay stub, etc.). Voters over the age of 65, those with disabilities, members of the military and their families, and U.S. citizens residing outside of the U.S. are exempt from the ID requirement.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Early Voting: Any voter can visit an early voting location in their county. Voting locations are open between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday for two weeks before the election. Voting locations are closed on Sunday, October 27, 2024. 

A Photo ID is required to vote in-person. 

Absentee Voting:  

• Request an application by calling, visiting or mailing a request to your county registration and election office.
  • In order to vote absentee, a voter must fall into one of the following categories:
    • Have work obligations preventing them from voting during early voting hours during the duration of the early voting period and during the hours polls are open on Election Day. 
    • Be caring for a sick or physically disabled person which prevents the voter 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. 
    • Be confined to a jail or pretrial facility awaiting disposition of arrest or trial for the duration of the early voting period and during the hours the polls are open on Election Day.
    • 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. 
    • Have physical disabilities.
    • Be 65 years or older. 
    • Be a member of, spouse of, or dependent of someone in the U.S. Armed Forces or Merchant Marines. 
    • Be admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a 4-day period before the election. 

• Voters should return the completed application to their county voter registration office by 5 p.m. on the 11^th day prior to the election. They will then receive an absentee ballot by mail. 

• All Absentee ballots must be received by the county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots arriving after this deadline will NOT be counted.
  • Military and Overseas Voters: Voters casting their ballot by mail must mail their ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The deadline for county voter registration offices to accept military and overseas voters’ ballots is two days after Election Day (Nov.7) at 5 p.m. 

• Voters should remember to sign the voter’s oath and have their signature witnessed by someone 18 years or older. Completed ballots should be placed in the “ballot here-in” envelope and then placed in the return envelope. 

• Ballots may be returned to the county voter registration office in the following ways:
  • In Person: The voter may bring their completed ballot to their county voter registration office or to an early voting center. As a reminder, if you choose this method, a Photo ID will be required. 
  • By Mail: The voter may mail the completed absentee ballot in the envelope provided to the county voter registration office. 
  • Note: Ballots returned by mail should be mailed no later than one week prior to Election Day to help ensure timely delivery.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in South Carolina you should provide:

• Your South Carolina Driver’s License or State ID Number (online applicants only)
• Your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
• Current Utility Bill or Pay Check or Bank Statement

ID is not required if you are 65 or older, have a temporary or permanent physical disability, are a member of the active uniformed services or merchant marine who is absent from the county for active duty, or a spouse or dependent thereof, or are currently living outside the U.S. but otherwise eligible to vote

Voting In-Person

In South Carolina, you need to show a valid photo ID to vote. You can use any ID from this list:

• Valid South Carolina Driver’s License
• Valid South Carolina Voter ID Card with Photo
• Valid ID Issued by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, Transportation, Highway Safety, etc.
• Valid US Passport
• Valid Military ID

If a voter does not have one of the required documents, they can get a free Photo ID from their county voter registration office or their local DMV office.

• If the voter is already registered to vote, they should visit their county office, provide their date of birth and last four digits of their Social Security Number. Then, the voter’s picture will be taken. 
• If the potential voter is not registered to vote, they must register and then have their photo taken on the same day. 

If a voter forgets to bring their Photo ID to a polling place, they may cast a provisional ballot and have the ballot counted after returning to the county voter registration office prior to the certification of the election (typically the Thursday or Friday after the election). 

No Photo ID is required to vote absentee by mail. However, if a voter returns an absentee ballot in person, a Photo ID is required.

Moving within the Same County

If a voter moves within the same county and the same precinct, they may complete this form and mail, scan or fax the form to their county board of voter registration.

If a voter moves within the same county but to a different precinct, they are eligible to vote using a failsafe ballot, described below.

Moving Between Counties

If a voter moves to a different county more than 30 days prior to an election, they must register to vote in their new county 30 days before the next election, or else they will not be permitted to vote. 

If a voter moves to a different county within 30 days of an election, they may vote using a failsafe ballot, described below.

Failsafe Ballot

There are two options for voting with a failsafe ballot. 

• Vote at the polling place in your previous precinct using a limited, failsafe ballot including only federal, statewide, and countywide offices. 
• Go to the voter registration office in the new county in which you reside, update your address, and vote a full ballot there.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register your ballot.

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register your ballot.

Military and other overseas citizens may use the standard procedure for absentee voting by mail, but there are also special provisions for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and merchant marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with family members of all these groups, and other citizens who reside outside of the United States (together these groups are called UOCAVA voters).

Registering and Requesting an Absentee Ballot

UOCAVA voters can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. Visit the South Carolina Election Commission’s Military & Overseas Citizens voting website or the South Carolina Federal Voting Assistance website for additional information. 

The deadline to submit a voter registration application is 30 days prior to an election. UOCAVA status will remain effective through December 31^st of the following year. 

Receiving an Absentee Ballot

The county election office will send any voter with UOCAVA status a ballot through their preferred choice of communication no later than 45 days prior to an election. 

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) is a back-up ballot that can be used by UOCAVA voters.  You can use this FWAB whether you are located inside or outside the United States (including APO and FPO addresses), provided you are away from your voting residence for service-related activities. An FWAB must be received by the county elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.

South Carolina residents with felony convictions or who have been convicted of a misdemeanor violation of an election law are permitted to vote as long as they have completed their sentence (including any terms of parole and/or probation) or if they were previously pardoned and are not incarcerated. However, they must re-register to vote once their sentence is complete. County voter registration boards may request proof that a sentence has been completed. Individuals convicted of any other misdemeanor are only disfranchised while incarcerated.