Statement on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Posted on March 15, 2020

COLUMBIA, SC (March 15, 2020) – The S.C. State Election Commission (SEC) is monitoring developments related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and working with the Governor’s office to take actions necessary to help ensure the health and safety of the public and to provide for continuity of operations. The SEC is also working with county boards of voter registration and elections to ensure critical services continue to be offered to the public including voter registration, absentee voting and candidate filing.

Actions include:

Reducing the number of employees in the office. Appropriate staff have been designated as essential personnel and arrangements have been made to allow some staff to work from home.
Educating staff and visitors on practicing good hygiene and social distancing.
Providing hand sanitizing stations.
Frequent cleaning of common surfaces.
Reducing or cancelling travel and voter education and training events through the end of March.

The March Candidate Filing period has NOT changed. Filing will open at noon on March 16, 2020 and will close at noon on March 30, 2020. Read the SEC’s Statement on March Filing and Coronavirus.

The SEC will continue to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and provide additional information about its impact on South Carolina elections through scVOTES.org.

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