• Official State Website
• Secretary of State Website
• South Carolina State Election Commission
  
• Absentee Voting Rules Webpage

Summary
Requirements to Vote
In order to vote, South Carolina law requires one must first register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election.To be eligible to register in South Carolina you MUST:
There is no length of residency requirement in South Carolina in order to register to vote. You can register at any time.You must be registered at least 30 days prior to any election in order to vote in that election. Registration by mail applications must be postmarked at least 30 days prior to that particular election to be eligible.

Registering to Vote
A citizen who wishes to register to vote can register in person at their county board of voter registration; or they may download a form, complete it, and mail it to their county board of voter registration.

• Voter Registration Application

• County Boards of Voter Registration - Mailing Addresses & Contact Numbers

Information for Overseas Voters

Deadlines

• Deadline to register to vote in November 2008 election: October 4, 2008
• Deadline to register for absentee ballot in November 2008 election: 5 p.m. on November 3, 2008
• What else?
• Voters admitted to the hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within four days of the election can have an immediate family member apply and carry a ballot to the voter.

Voting Equipment

Electronic - All 46 South Carolina counties use direct recording electronic voting machines.The voter makes his/her selections by pressing a button beside a party, candidate or issue displayed on the direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machine. After all selections have been made, the voter presses a VOTE button to cast his/her ballot.

Optical - All 46 South Carolina counties use optical scan ballots for all mail-out absentee ballots.The voter receives an 8" x 14" paper ballot. The voter shades in a block beside the name of the party, candidate or issue in which he/she wishes to vote using a marking pen or pencil.