COLUMBIA, S.C. — Early voting for the November election starts Monday and is the first presidential election since South Carolina expanded early voting in 2022.
The early voting period for the November elections begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday, Nov. 2. It is open to all registered voters, and early voting centers are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
"We’re excited that early voting finally kicks off tomorrow. Early voting is a secure and easy way to vote, and we are hoping that voters take advantage of it,” a South Carolina Election Commission spokesperson said.
Voters heading to the polls should make sure they bring the proper documents.
“They need to bring a South Carolina driver's license or South Carolina ID card. They can also accept a passport or even a military ID, and none of those IDs can be expired," said Lexington County Elections Director Lenice Shoemaker. “If you or anyone else will be coming in through the front door, you'll be greeted at a checking station, and they will verify that you do live in Lexington County."
"And from then, you will take your ballot to the ballot marking device and make your selections, and then you will go ahead and scan that ballot as you go to exit, and we will give you a sticker, and you have done your civic duty," Shoemaker added.
Curbside voting will be available for seniors and residents with mobility issues. Lexington County election officials remind people they cannot wear or bring campaign materials within 500 feet of voting locations and curbside voting. They also advise people to check their sample ballots online. The sample ballot can show them what it will look like and who the candidates are that they will be voting for. Lexington County early voting centers even help people who are voting by mail.
“If someone has requested an absentee ballot, and they have received their absentee ballot, any one of the early voting centers can accept that absentee ballot," Shoemaker said. "And we can take that for you. And so just if anyone, if that's more convenient, instead of putting it in the mail or bringing it to the main Lexington County Office, any one of those early voting centers can take that for you."
Early voting will be open every day through Nov. 2 except Sunday, Oct. 27.
Anyone looking to find out where to vote early can visit the SCVotes.sc.gov webpage and fill in the appropriate information.
If voters are trying to see where you can vote early, you can click this link to find an early voting center in your county.
During the 2020 election, South Carolina was one of just a few states without early voting. That year, state lawmakers greatly expanded absentee balloting due to the pandemic. Two years later, South Carolina established the current early voting rules.
