Early Voting Starts Monday, October 23
COLUMBIA, SC (October 20, 2023) – With over 200 local elections being held in South Carolina on Municipal Election Day (Tuesday, November 7, 2023), the State Election Commission is reminding voters that they don’t have to wait until November to vote in the upcoming municipal elections.
Early Voting Starts Monday, October 23, 2023
Any voter can visit an early voting center during the early voting period and vote just like they would at their polling place on election day.
- Times: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday, October 23 – Friday, November 3 (closed Saturday & Sunday).
- Locations: Contact your local elections office.
- Voters will be asked to present their photo ID when checking in to vote.
Absentee Voting
Absentee voting allows qualified voters to cast a ballot by mail prior to Municipal Election Day. Qualified voters include:
- Persons with physical disabilities.
- Persons sixty-five 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.
- 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.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 27. To vote absentee:
- Complete and return your absentee application. Contact your local election office to be mailed an application.
- After you receive and vote your ballot, be sure to sign the voter’s oath and have your signature witnessed.
- Anyone age 18 or older can witness your signature. A notary is not necessary.
- Return your ballot by mail or personal delivery as soon as possible.
- Ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 7.
- Ballots returned by mail should be mailed no later than one week prior to election day to help ensure timely delivery.
- You must present Photo ID if returning an absentee ballot in person.
- Find more information about at scVOTES.gov on how an Immediate Family Member or Authorized Representative can assist you with requesting and returning your absentee ballot.
Make sure you’re prepared to vote by visiting scVOTES.gov.
- See who will be on your ballot by checking a copy of your sample ballot.
- Track your absentee ballot.
- Find your election day polling place.
- Find general FAQs and general election statistics.