RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — The question, 'can I change my vote?' is trending online. In some states, the answer is yes. What about South Carolina?
With less than a week until election day, millions of Americans have already voted.
Recently, the question, 'can I change my vote?' has been a popular Google search after President Trump tweeted about it. News19 took the question to the S.C. State Election Commission to find out.
"No, you can't change your ballot in South Carolina once you return it to election officials," said Chris Whitmire with the State Election Commission. "So, that would either be by mail, if you mail that ballot back or if you are voting absentee in person, once you put that ballot in the scanner and it's in the ballot box. And then, of course, on Election Day, you do the same thing -- you put it in the scanner and it drops in the ballot box. So, once you submit that to election officials, there is no way to change your vote. The law doesn't allow for that."
In South Carolina, you cannot change your vote. However, Whitmire says there are several opportunities for voters to review their ballot before it is too late.
"It's important for voters, when they are voting, to review their ballot," Whitmire said.
"If you are voting absentee by mail, look at that ballot and make sure everything is marked correctly before you put it in the mail. And then voting absentee in-person or on Election Day, when you are marking your ballot on the marking device and you get to that review screen, go through that review screen and make sure all of your selections are exactly how you want them, and if they're not, you can go back and make adjustments. And then again, review it on the review screen before you print your ballot," Whitmire said. Once you print your ballot, it's also important to look at that printed piece of paper that is your ballot and make sure all of those choices on that ballot are exactly how you want them to be before you put them in the scanner, which is putting it in the ballot box."
If you see something wrong on the printed ballot, don't vote it. Tell an election official, who can spoil the incorrect ballot and get you another one.