Voting in South Carolina
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in South Carolina:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- 2024 election changes in response to hurricanes.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
- Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.
See Election administration in South Carolina for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to South Carolina's 2024 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in South Carolina, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the county and precinct where he or she is registering, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. People who have been declared mentally incompetent by court order, are imprisoned, or are still serving a sentence for a felony conviction are ineligible to register to vote.[1] The deadline for registration is 30 days before the election. Prospective voters may register using one of the following methods:
- Online,
- In person at the county board of elections or one of the following locations:
- Armed Forces Recruiting Stations
- Commission for the Blind
- Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services
- Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
- Department of Health and Environmental Control
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Mental Health
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Department of Social Services
- Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities
- Vocational Rehabilitation Department
- Returning a voter registration form by email, fax, or mail to the county board of voter registration. Note that mailed applications must be postmarked by at least 30 days before the election.[1]
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to South Carolina's 2024 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In South Carolina, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
South Carolina requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[2][3]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- SC Driver’s License
- SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
- includes SC Concealed Weapons Permit
- SC Voter Registration Card with Photo
- U.S. Passport
- Federal Military ID
- includes all Department of Defense Photo IDs and the Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Card
Voters can obtain a free photo ID from a local DMV office or a county elections office.[4] According to the South Carolina Election Commission's website, only the following types of voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail:[5]
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To vote absentee, voters must first request an application for the absentee ballot. Application requests can be made in person, by phone, or by mail. The absentee ballot application must then be completed and returned to the voter's county voter registration office by 5:00 p.m. at least 11 days before Election Day. Once completed, the ballot must be received by the county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.[5]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
South Carolina permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to South Carolina's 2024 election cycle.
According to the South Carolina Election Commission's website, only the following types of voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail:[5]
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To vote absentee, voters must first request an application for the absentee ballot. Application requests can be made in person, by phone, or by mail. The absentee ballot application must then be completed and returned to the voter's county voter registration office by 5:00 p.m. at least 11 days before Election Day. Once completed, the ballot must be received by the county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.[5]
2024 election changes in response to hurricanes
In September and October 2024, two storms—Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton—made landfall in the southeast region of the United States, causing damage and casualties in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.[7][8][9]
In response to the storms, governors and state election officials in affected states changed certain rules and requirements related to voting in the November 5, 2024, election.
State officials made the following changes to voting in South Carolina:
- On October 4, the South Carolina Election Commission announced that, due to a court order, the voter registration deadline had been extended statewide to October 14. Previously, the registration deadlines were October 4 (in person), October 6 (online, fax, or email), and October 7 (postmarked).[10]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In South Carolina, voting rights are restored to people convicted of a felony upon the completion of their sentence, including probation and parole.[1]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[11]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in South Carolina can contact the following local, South Carolina, and federal agencies.
South Carolina Voter Registration and Elections Offices
South Carolina State Election Commission
- Physical Address: 1122 Lady Street, Suite 500
- Columbia, South Carolina 29201
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5987
- Columbia, South Carolina 29250-5987
- Phone: 803-734-9060
- Fax: 803-734-9366
- Email: elections@elections.sc.gov
- Website: https://scvotes.gov
South Carolina State Ethics Commission
- 201 Executive Center Drive, Suite 150
- Columbia, South Carolina 29210
- Phone: 803-253-4192
- Fax: 803-253-7539
- Email: https://ethics.sc.gov/about-us/contact-us
- Website: https://ethics.sc.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state. These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
Below are links to the most recent editions. Click here to see all past reports, and be on the lookout for more throughout the year!
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Year-End Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Mid-Year Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation, May 2024 Roundup
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
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- The Ballot Bulletin: March 14, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: March 7, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 28, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 21, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 14, 2025
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
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See also
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Voter ID in South Carolina
- Election administration in South Carolina
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in South Carolina
Elections in South Carolina
- South Carolina elections, 2025
- South Carolina elections, 2024
- South Carolina elections, 2023
- South Carolina elections, 2022
- South Carolina elections, 2021
- South Carolina elections, 2020
- South Carolina elections, 2019
- South Carolina elections, 2018
- South Carolina elections, 2017
- South Carolina elections, 2016
- South Carolina elections, 2015
- South Carolina elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 South Carolina Election Commission, “Register to Vote,” accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 South Carolina Election Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election," accessed August 20, 2024
- ↑ Justia, "SC Code § 7-13-710 (2022)," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ South Carolina Elections Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election, accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 South Carolina State Election Commission, "Absentee Voting," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Weather Service, "Tropical Storm Helene: September 26-27, 2024," accessed October 10, 2024
- ↑ Weather.com, "Hurricane Milton Brought Devastation Across Central Florida (RECAP)," October 10, 2024
- ↑ FEMA, "Biden-Harris Administration Assisting with Seven Major Disaster Declarations Across Southeast Following Helene and Milton," October 12, 2024
- ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "2024 Election Calendar," July 23, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
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