August 11, 2020 - Charleston County
Important Dates & Deadlines
Filing Opens: Noon, Friday, April 17
Filing Closes: Noon, Saturday, April 25
Click Here for Candidate Tracking - Get candidate names and information (available after filing opens).
May 10 - Voter Registration Deadline for Primary
June 9 - Primary
June 23 - Primary Runoff
July 12 - Voter Registration Deadline for Special Election
August 11 - Special Election
Candidate Filing Information
COLUMBIA, SC (June 30, 2020) – As of today, the State Election Commission’s voter education website has a new address: scVOTES.gov. The switch to the .gov domain name was made to help maintain the public’s trust in the information and services provided through the site.
Before the change, scVOTES.gov was scVOTES.org. Having the .gov extension will help voters easily recognize the site as a trusted source of information. Domain names using the .gov extension are regulated by the federal General Services Administration (GSA) meaning only verified federal, state and local governments can use a .gov address. Voters will know when they see “scVOTES.gov,” they have arrived at the official website of the S.C. State Election Commission.
COLUMBIA, SC (June 17, 2020) – The State Election Commission wants to make sure voters understand the rules for voting in the Primary Runoffs on Tuesday, June 23.
Barnwell
Sheriff (Dem)
Berkeley
State Senate District 39 (Dem)
State House of Reps District 99 (Rep)
Calhoun
State Senate District 39 (Dem)
Charleston
State House of Reps District 99 (Rep)
State House of Reps District 109 (Dem)
State House of Reps District 115 (Dem)
State House of Reps District 115 Special (Dem)
County Council District 3 (Dem)
Colleton
State Senate District 39 (Dem)
Dillon
Sheriff (Dem)
County Council District 1 (Dem)
County Council District 3 (Dem)
Dorchester
State Senate District 39 (Dem)
State House of Reps District 109 (Dem)
Florence
City of Florence Mayor (Dem)
Greenville
State House of Reps District 35 (Rep)
County Council District 21 (Rep)
Hampton
County Council at Large (Dem)
Horry
State Senate District 33 (Rep)
The South Carolina State Election Commission (SEC) is disappointed with the conduct of yesterday’s primaries in Richland County. We know election officials and poll managers were faced with the extraordinarily difficult task of conducting an election in a pandemic. But yet again, voters were unnecessarily subjected to extreme wait times and confusion at polling places.
For the last several years, the SEC has worked to assist the Richland County Voter Registration and Elections Office (Richland Office) by providing training, guidance and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes. Unfortunately, those efforts have not produced the desired results. We, like the voters of Richland County, continue to be frustrated.
June 9, 2020
The South Carolina State Election Commission thanks our voters, poll managers and county election officials for the dedication shown today under extraordinary circumstances.
“The passion and dedication of South Carolinians was on display at the polls today,” said Marci Andino, executive director of the South Carolina State Election Commission. “We’re grateful to voters for their patience as they waited to cast their ballots, and we want to thank the poll workers and election officials across the state for their tireless work in what has proved to be a long day under trying conditions.”
COLUMBIA, SC (June 3, 2020) – As Election Day approaches, the S.C. Election Commission wants voters to be aware of their options for voting in- the June 9th Statewide Primaries.
If you have a mail-in absentee ballot:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 25, 2020) – As a result of a U.S. District Court order issued today, South Carolinians voting absentee by mail in the 2020 June Primaries and Runoffs are no longer required to have their signature witnessed on the ballot return envelope. Election officials will accept and count all absentee ballots regardless of whether the envelope contains a witness signature, if otherwise valid. Any ballots that may have already been returned without a witness signature will also be counted if otherwise valid.
Voters are still required to sign and date the voter’s oath on the return envelope. However, the “Signature of Witness” and “Address of Witness” spaces can be left blank.
The removal of the witness signature requirement applies only to the June 9 Primaries and June 23 Runoffs.
COLUMBIA, SC (May 13, 2020) – Every voter in South Carolina is now qualified to vote absentee in the June Primaries and Runoffs. Governor McMaster today signed into law legislation passed yesterday by the General Assembly that authorizes any voter to vote absentee in any election in June 2020. The provision expires on July 1, 2020 and does not apply to any elections after that date.
“This action by the General Assembly and Governor McMaster, which we greatly appreciate, will go a long way in protecting the health and safety of every South Carolinian,” said Marci Andino, Executive Director of the S.C. State Election Commission. “All voters now have a safer alternative to voting at their polling place in June.”
All voters now have two options to exercise their right to vote in the 2020 Statewide Primaries and Runoffs.
Vote Absentee
Postponed Elections Rescheduled for July 14
COLUMBIA, SC (May 12, 2020) – Governor McMaster on Friday announced the rescheduling of all elections that had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic (full list below). All affected elections have been rescheduled for July 14, 2020.
List of postponed elections: