COLUMBIA, S.C. — Have you registered to vote? If not, the deadlines to register in South Carolina are just a few short days away.
The general election -- where the nation elects the next president, and state and local leaders -- is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. And if you plan to cast a ballot either absentee or in person, you need to be registered if you've never registered before.
There is no length of residency requirement in South Carolina in order to register to vote. You can register at any time. You must be registered at least 30 days prior to any election in order to vote in that election.
The deadline to register in person is Friday, October 2nd. (Richland County, however, said people can still register Saturday from 9 am to 1 p.m. at the county election office at 2020 Hampton Street.)
The deadline to register online is Sunday, October 4th.
The deadline to register by mail is Monday, October 5th. Mail-in registration must be postmarked by October 5th.
You can check your voter registration or update your voter registration online at scvotes.org.
How to Register
Register Online - Click here for online voter registration
- Requires S.C. Driver's License or DMV ID
- If you have moved, you must first update your residence address with DMV
Register by mail, email, fax - Download a voter registration form, complete it, and return it to your county board of voter registration by mail, fax, or email.
Register in person - Visit your county board of voter registration and register in person. You can also register while receiving services at various agencies including the Department of Motor Vehicles. See a complete list of agencies providing voter registration under the National Voter Registration Act.
Who Can Register?
In order to vote, South Carolina law requires one must first register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election. To be eligible to register in South Carolina you MUST:
- be a United States citizen
- be at least eighteen years old on or before the next election
- be a resident of South Carolina in the county and precinct in which you are registering
- not be under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent
- not be confined in any public prison resulting from a conviction of a crime
- have never been convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws OR if previously convicted, have served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction.
What address do I use?
You must register at the address where you reside. For guidance in determining what residence to claim for voter registration purposes, see S.C. Code of Laws Section 7-1-25.
Do I have to choose a party?
No. South Carolina does not have registration by party. In primaries, you can vote in only one party's primary.
Check My Voter Registration Information
Note: When checking your voter registration information, you must provide your name, county and date of birth as it appears on your voter registration card in order to view your information.
Update My Voter Registration Information
If you have a S.C. Driver's License or DMV ID card, you can update your address using the online voter registration application. If you haven't updated your DMV address, you must do that first:
If your voter registration information has changed (name, address, etc.), and you still live within the same county, you may update your voter registration information using this form. If you have moved to a different county, you will need to re-register in your new county (see How to Register above).
Students
Students may register to vote where they reside while attending college. This could be at an address in the college community (e.g., a dormitory) or at an address you intend to return to while not in the college community (e.g., family home). For guidance in determining what residence to claim for voter registration purposes, see S.C. Code of Laws Section 7-1-25.
Many college students who live on campus receive their mail at a campus post office box. These students must register at the physical address of their dormitory. The student's P.O. Box can be provided for mailing and contact purposes.
Convicted Felons
Any person who is convicted of a felony or an offense against the election laws is not qualified to register or to vote, unless the disqualification has been removed by service of the sentence, or unless sooner pardoned. Service of sentence includes completion of any prison/jail time, probation and parole.
Federal and state courts provide the SEC with lists of persons convicted of felonies or crimes against the election laws. Those persons are removed from the state's list of active, registered voters. The SEC notifies each voter whose name is removed. Voters have 20 days from the date the notice is mailed to appeal. Appeals must be made to the SEC.
Once a person who was convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws serves his sentence, he may register to vote. To register, the applicant must submit a new voter registration application to his county voter registration office. To participate in any particular election, the applicant must submit the application prior to the 30-day voter registration deadline for that election. In applying, the registrant is swearing under penalty of perjury that he is qualified to register, including having completed his entire sentence. County voter registration boards must be satisfied that the applicant has completed his sentence; and in some cases, may request a person who has lost his voting rights due to conviction to provide proof that he has completed his sentence.