May is Voter Education Month

Posted on April 27, 2018

Governor Henry McMaster Declares May 2018 as Voter Education Month in South Carolina
SEC Urges Voters to be Ready to Vote in the June Primaries

COLUMBIA, SC (April 30, 2018) - State and local voter registration and elections officials are using the month of May to encourage voters to prepare for the Statewide Primaries on June 12 and the Primary Runoffs on June 26.

"During the month of May, election officials across the State of South Carolina are focused on encouraging voters to register to vote or update their addresses, educating voters on what they need to bring with them to the polls, and helping voters learn more about what offices and candidates will be on their ballot before they get to the voting booth," said Marci Andino, Executive Director of the S.C. State Election Commission. "There are more than 3.2 million registered voters in South Carolina, however, there are an additional estimated 500,000 citizens who are eligible but not registered.”

Voters have until May 13 to register so they can vote in the June 12 Primaries and June 26 Primary Runoffs. Any eligible citizen with a S.C. Driver's License or DMV ID card can register online at scvotes.org. Voters can also download a voter registration by mail application or register to vote at their county elections office, or at a number of state and local government agencies.

“We want voters to be ready to vote,” Andino said. “Updating your address, knowing where to vote, knowing what to bring to the polls, and reviewing your sample ballot are all keys to having a smooth election day process.”

Here are some simple steps voters can take to be ready to vote in the General Election:

Register to Vote by May 13 – Register online at scVOTES.org. Mail-in applications will be accepted if postmarked by May 14. If you’ve moved from one county to another, you must register in your new county by the deadline.
Check your registration at scVOTES.org – Make sure your registration is active and your address is up to date.
Update your address – You can update your address using online voter registration.
Review your sample ballot – Review your sample ballot at scVOTES.org and educate yourself on the candidates so you are ready to cast your ballot when you get to the voting booth.
Make sure you bring proper Photo ID:
- If you are registered to vote and already have a S.C. Driver's License, a DMV ID, a S.C. Voter Registration Card with a Photo, a federal military ID, or a U.S. Passport, you are ready to vote. Be sure to bring your Photo ID with you to the polls.
- If you don't have one of those photo IDs, you can help streamline your voting process by getting one before election day. You can get a free Photo ID from your county elections office or any DMV location.
- If you can't get a Photo ID before election day, be sure to bring your non-photo voter registration card with you to the polls. This will allow you to sign an affidavit stating you had an impediment to obtaining a Photo ID. You can then vote a provisional ballot that will count, unless your affidavit is proven to be false.

For more information on Voter Education Month activities and other issues related to voter registration and elections, visit www.scvotes.org or your county registration and elections office.

Back to All News