Press Releases

Topics include election infrastructure security, voting system implementation and auditing methods

COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 8, 2018) – The S.C. State Election Commission (SEC) concluded its 2018 Election Security and Technology Workshop today in Columbia, S.C.  Approximately 150 election officials and county information technology staff from all 46 counties in the state attended the two-day workshop.  Attendees received valuable cybersecurity information and training, viewed the latest in voting system technologies and learned how other states are using paper ballot audits to confirm election results.

COLUMBIA, SC (June 20, 2018) – The State Election Commission wants to make sure voters understand the rules for voting in the Primary Runoffs on Tuesday, June 26.  Voters who voted in the June 12 Primaries are limited to voting in the same party’s runoff.  Voters who did not vote on June 12 can choose to vote in either party’s runoff.

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Q.  What candidates and/or offices are on the ballot today?
A.  The candidates and offices on a particular ballot will differ depending on the county and districts in which you reside and the primary in which you’re voting (Democratic or Republican).  To see the candidates that will appear on your ballot, visit scVOTES.org and click “Get My Sample Ballot” in the mySCVOTES section of the homepage.

Q.  Where do I vote?
A.  At the polling place in your precinct.  Your precinct and polling place are listed on your voter registration card.  However, it’s possible your polling place may have changed since the card was issued.  To be sure of the location of your polling place:

COLUMBIA, SC (May 23, 2018) – Absentee voting for the Statewide Primaries is underway at county elections offices throughout the state.  As of today, nearly 15,000 absentee ballots have been issued statewide.  Voters who are age 65 and older, who will be on vacation, or who can’t go to the polls due to their job are all qualified to vote absentee.   If you meet one of these or any of the other qualifying reasons, you can vote early by absentee ballot.  The State Election Commission wants you to know how to vote absentee and the deadlines for doing so.

Two Ways to Vote Absentee:

In Person – Visit your county elections office, complete an application, and cast your ballot.  You may vote absentee in person up until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 11.

By Mail – Voters should consider U.S. Postal Service transit times in choosing to vote absentee by mail.  First class mail may take 2-5 days to arrive at its destination.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 9, 2018) – To help ensure voters are prepared for the June 12 Statewide Primaries and June 26 Primary Runoffs, the State Election Commission wants to remind South Carolinians of the fast-approaching voter registration deadline.

TO VOTE IN THE 2018 STATEWIDE PRIMARIES AND RUNOFFS, YOU MUST BE REGISTERED BY SUNDAY, MAY 13.

Anyone not currently registered to vote in their county of residence must register by the deadline, including those in the following categories:

• Anyone not registered who will be 18-years-old on or before November 6, 2018
• Any voter who has moved to a new county and has not registered there
• Anyone who has moved from another state and has not yet registered in South Carolina

If you are not sure whether you are registered to vote or whether your registration is current, visit scvotes.org and click “Check My Registration.”

Voters have various options to register before the deadline:

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.”

National Voter Registration Day 2017

Register Online at scVOTES.org

COLUMBIA, S.C. (September 25, 2017) - The South Carolina State Election Commission, along with Americans across the nation, will be celebrating National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) on Tuesday, September 26, 2017.  This is a nationwide effort to register voters before upcoming elections in November.  Celebrate democracy in America by encouraging individuals to exercise one of our most basic rights:  the right to vote!

The State Election Commission encourages all South Carolinians to exercise that right in all elections, including the more than 150 elections being held throughout the state on November 7.  The first step to doing that is registering to vote.  But it's not only November.  There's an election happening nearly every Tuesday somewhere in the state.  Click here for a complete list of upcoming elections.

COLUMBIA, SC (July 6, 2017) - The S.C. State Election Commission (SEC), in considering the request for voter data made by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (PACEI), has carefully reviewed applicable state law and has consulted with the S.C. Attorney General’s office.  The SEC has determined that release of voter data to anyone who is not a registered South Carolina voter is not permitted by state law.  The agency may only provide voter data to registered South Carolina voters.  This rule is not specific to the PACEI request and applies to any request for voter data from any individual or organization from outside the state.

Some data requested by the PACEI is not collected by the SEC, and other data is never released:

• At no time does the SEC release Social Security Numbers, in whole or in part, to anyone, whether a voter or not.
• The SEC has no data on a voter’s party affiliation, as South Carolina does not have registration by party.
• At no time does the SEC have any information about how people vote, only information about which elections a voter has participated in.

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Q. I need to vote absentee.  Can I still do that?  What is the deadline to return my absentee ballot?  Should I return my absentee ballot by mail?

Absentee Voting Up more than 20% over 2012

COLUMBIA, SC (October 26, 2016) - The S.C. State Election Commission wants to make sure voters who need to vote absentee by mail return their applications as soon as possible to ensure they are able to return their ballots prior to the election day deadline. 

According to the U.S. Postal Service, the transit time for first class mail is a minimum of two days and can be as many as five days.  Voters should be aware of these transit times when voting absentee by mail.

What this means for voters:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 21, 2016) - County voter registration and election offices throughout the state will be open additional hours for in-person absentee voting, and some counties are opening satellite offices to give absentee voters more in-person absentee voting options leading up to the 2016 General Election.

Statewide In-Person Absentee Hours and Locations

Regular Hours: In-person absentee voting is available during regular business hours at all county voter registration and elections offices.  In-person absentee voting ends at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 7.  

Saturday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.:  Some county voter registration and elections offices will be open for in-person absentee voting.

Click here to find your county board of voter registration and elections office.

County Satellite Absentee Locations and Additional Hours

The following satellite locations and hours are in addition to the locations and hours listed above.

Beaufort 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 10, 2016) - The S.C. State Election Commission wants to remind voters that they still have one last opportunity to get registered to vote before the 2016 General Election.  Anyone who mails their voter registration application by Tuesday, October 11, and is otherwise qualified, will be eligible to vote on November 8.

While there is still an opportunity to register to vote by mail, deadlines have passed to register online, by fax or email, and in-person.

Anyone who still needs to register should:

• Download an application from scVOTES.org
  Direct link: http://www.scvotes.org/files/VR_Blank_Form.pdf
• Print the application
• Complete the application
• Mail the application to your county board of voter registration and elections no later than Tuesday, October 11

Mailing addresses for county boards of voter registration and elections can be found at scVOTES.org.  Direct link: http://www.scvotes.org/how_to_register_absentee_voting

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 6, 2016) - All South Carolina voters will now have more time to return voter registration applications for the 2016 General Election.  This will provide additional opportunity for citizens to register who are affected by voter registration office and post office closures related to Hurricane Matthew.  Post offices are also closed on Monday, October 10 due to a federal holiday. 

The following deadlines apply to all South Carolina voters:

Registration by Mail:  Any voter registration by mail application that is postmarked Tuesday, October 11 will be accepted.

Online Voter Registration: Any online voter registration application submitted by Sunday, October 9 will be accepted (application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., October 9).

Applications submitted by fax or email:  Any faxed or emailed application received by county voter registration offices by Sunday, October 9 will be accepted (application must be received by 11:59 p.m., October 9).

Hurricane Forces Closure of Midlands, Coastal County Election Offices

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 4, 2016) - To help ensure voters are prepared for the November 8 General Election, the State Election Commission wants to remind everyone of the upcoming voter registration deadline.  Also, citizens along South Carolina's coast need to make sure they are registered now in advance of the approaching storm and impending deadline.

TO VOTE IN THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTION, YOU MUST BE REGISTERED BY OCTOBER 8.

While Hurricane Matthew has forced 26 county offices to close (complete list below), voters still have various options to register before the deadline:

Governor Nikki Haley declares September 2016 as Voter Education Month

COLUMBIA, SC (September 21, 2016) - State and local voter registration and elections officials are using the month of September to encourage voters to prepare for the November 8 General Election.

"During the month of September, 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, S.C. State Election Commission.