COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – As the US moves closer and closer to another presidential election this November, many voters will also have their eyes on local races that affect them back home.
In South Carolina this year, every seat in the legislature at the State House is up for re-election, along with many county-level positions, like sheriffs, all across the state.
With less than a month remaining until South Carolina’s June 11 primary elections and less than two weeks until early voting opens, the State Election Commission advises voters to not delay in getting their plan ready to vote.
“Now is the time for registered voters to make their plan on how they’re actually going to cast their ballot, and there’s a couple different options,” South Carolina Election Commission Public Information Officer John Michael Catalano said.
Most people vote on election day, but under a state law enacted in 2022, any registered voter can cast their ballot during the in-person, early voting period, which takes place the two weeks before election day, starting Tuesday, May 28.
For early voting, people can go to any early voting center in their county of residence, and locations can be found here.
The Election Commission urges people voting on election day to confirm their polling place location ahead of time, saying sometimes these spots can change from year to year, based on scheduling and other conflicts, so it’s best to know that in advance and plan for it.
People voting in person must also bring their photo ID.
In South Carolina, you must meet one of the following eligibility requirements to vote by mail:
- Persons with employment obligations which prevent them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
- Persons attending a sick or physically disabled person which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
- Persons confined to a jail or pretrial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
- Persons who will be absent from their county of residence during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
- Persons with physical disabilities.
- Persons 65 years of age or older.
- Members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them.
- Persons admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a four-day period before the election.
The Election Commission recommends people who plan to vote by mail start this process now.
“The first step is requesting your ballot, and you do that by getting an application, which you can get through a county elections office, by calling them, emailing them, or visiting them in person. But you get that application and you return it back to the county election office no later than 5 p.m. on May 31. From there, you just get your ballot in through the mail and you vote it as soon as possible and return it,” Catalano explained.
They also recommend voters check out a sample ballot with all their candidates ahead of time, which the Election Commission has available online.
“Make sure you know who you’re going to go vote for before you go vote,” Catalano said.
South Carolina’s primaries are open, so registered voters can cast their ballot in either party’s primaries, but not for both.
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