Only Days Left to Vote Absentee

Posted on October 27, 2010

Columbia, SC (October 27, 2010) - The State Election Commission (SEC) wants to remind voters of impending deadlines for voting absentee in the General Election. Voters who qualify may cast an absentee ballot in one of two ways: in person or by mail. The SEC recommends voting absentee in person due to the risks associated with voting by mail at this late date.

In Person - Visit your county voter registration office, complete an application, and cast your ballot. You may vote absentee in person up until 5:00 p.m., Monday, November 1^st.

By Mail -

Step 1: Contact your county voter registration office as soon as possible to request an absentee ballot application. The request may be made in person or by phone, mail, email, or fax.

Step 2: Once you receive your application in the mail, complete the application and return it to your county voter registration office. The application may be returned in person or by mail, email, or fax. The deadline to return the application is 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 29^th, but voters should return applications as soon as possible to ensure ballots are received and returned on time.

Step 3: Once you receive your ballot in the mail, vote the ballot following ballot instructions and return it to your county voter registration office by 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 2^nd. Ballots may be returned in person or by mail.

Persons qualified to vote by absentee ballot:

Persons who will be outside their county of residence on Election Day
Members of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine, and their spouses and dependents residing with them
Persons who, for reasons of employment, will not be able to vote on election day
Physically disabled persons
Persons sixty-five years of age or older
Persons serving as a juror in state or federal court on Election Day
Persons admitted to the hospital as emergency patients on day of election or within a four-day period before the election
Persons with a death or funeral in the family within three days before the election
Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
Persons attending sick or physically disabled persons
Certified poll watchers, poll managers, and county election officials working on Election Day

Check the status of your absentee ballot here.

Current and historical absentee voting statistics: www.scvotes.org/2010/05/13/fact_sheets

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