COLUMBIA, S.C. — Early voting begins Tuesday, May 31 in South Carolina for the June 14 primary election. For voters, it'll be very similar to the November 2020 election, where people were able to cast their ballot ahead of Election Day, no excuse needed.
The change comes after the new early voting law was enacted in early May. “It’s a big, big change for South Carolina,” said Chris Whitmire with the State Election Commission.
One voter named Jeff asked News19, "how much earlier can you go to the school to vote?”
First, it's important to note that a nearby school is likely not where voters will go to cast their ballot early. Whitmire explained that by law, counties can have up to seven early voting centers. During regular election day, Richland County has about 150 locations, according to Whitmire.
As for timing, early voting starts on Tuesday, May 31, and ends on Friday, June 10. Early voting centers are closed on Saturdays and Sundays for the primaries, and hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm. All county voter registration offices will be open for early voting.
Josh, a Columbia-area voter asked News19, "what are the main benefits of going early?" Whitmire responded by saying, “the benefit of early voting is that it gives all voters more options to vote."
When asked if early voting is going to be the same as the process during the November 2020 election, Whitmire said, "from a voter’s perspective, it's going to be very similar. You take your photo ID, you go to one of these locations, and you vote." The only technical difference, according to Whitmire, is voters won’t have to fill out an absentee in-person application.
Early voting has broad support from state officials and voters, saying it’ll encourage more people to get out and have their voices heard. “I think it’s the best thing. It’s real good, real good,” one voter told News19.
The Election Commission details where early voting centers are in each South Carolina county on its website.