This year’s South Carolina general election voter registration deadline is Wednesday, October 17, 2018.
Online applications must be submitted on or before the deadline to be valid for any specific election. Online voter registration does not “turn off” at the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline will be processed but will not be valid for that particular election.
Fax and email applications must be received by the voter registration office by the deadline to be valid for a particular election. Applications received after the deadline will be processed but will not be valid for that particular election.
Mail-in applications must be postmarked by the deadline. Most registration deadlines fall on a Saturday. Check with your local post office about receiving a Saturday postmark.
In order to vote, South Carolina law requires one must first register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election. However, this year’s deadline was extended due to Hurricane Florence. To be eligible to register in South Carolina you MUST:
- be a United States citizen -be at least eighteen years old on or before the next election
- be a resident of South Carolina, this county and precinct
- not be under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent
- not be confined in any public prison resulting from a conviction of a crime
- have never been convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws OR if previously convicted, have served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction.
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 thirty days prior to any election in order to vote in that election.
Online voter registration is available at scvotes.sc.gov. Register in person at your county board of voter registration, or download a voter registration form, complete it, and return it to your county board of voter registration by mail, fax, or email.
Update Your Voter Registration Information
If you have a S.C. Driver’s License or DMV ID card, you can update your address using the online voter registration application. If you haven’t updated your DMV address, you must do that first:
If your voter registration information has changed (name, address, etc.), and you still live within the same county, you may update your voter registration information using this form. If you have moved to a different county, you will need to re-register in your new county (see How to Register above).
Students
Students may register to vote where they reside while attending college.
Many college students who live on campus receive their mail at a campus post office box. These students must register at the physical address of their dormitory. The student’s P.O. Box can be provided for mailing and contact purposes.
Voter Registration Drives
If you are planning a voter registration drive at an institution of higher learning, please make sure you have the National Voter Registration Application for students who maintain their residency outside of South Carolina. For a list of addresses of Election Commissions throughout the country please see the Election Assistance Commission web site.
Convicted Felons
Any person who is convicted of a felony or an offense against the election laws is not qualified to register or to vote, unless the disqualification has been removed by service of the sentence, or unless sooner pardoned. Service of sentence includes completion of any prison/jail time, probation, parole, and payment of restitution.
Federal and state courts provide the SEC with lists of persons convicted of felonies or crimes against the election laws. Those persons are deleted from the state’s list of active, registered voters. The SEC notifies each voter whose name is deleted from the list. Voters have 20 days from the date the notice is mailed to appeal. Appeals must be made to the SEC.
Once a person who was convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws serves his sentence; he may register to vote. To register, the applicant must submit a new voter registration application to his county voter registration office. To participate in any particular election, the applicant must submit the application prior to the 30-day voter registration deadline for that election. In applying, the registrant is swearing under penalty of perjury that he is qualified to register, including having completed his entire sentence. County voter registration boards must be satisfied that the applicant meets the qualifications; and in some cases, could require a person who has lost his voting rights due to conviction to provide some proof that he has completed his sentence.