South Carolina

Help Voting in South Carolina

If you or someone you know has their right to vote interfered with, if someone is trying to prevent you from voting, if you have a question about voting, or if you need other voting-related help, call the South Carolina voter protection hotline at: 855-785-0222. Please have this number saved in your phone because you never know when you may need it unexpectedly or urgently. The hotline will get very bust, so please see if your question can be answered here, but if you're unsure or still need help, CALL THE HOTLINE IMMEDIATELY. If for some reason, you have an urgent issue and cannot reach anyone, call one of the national hotlines we've listed here. For example, the DNC hotline is available 24/7. However, it's always best to call your state's hotline first, because they will know more about the specific issues in your state. Thanks!

 

Registering & Voting

  • What Ways Can I Register to Vote? In South Carolina, you can Register Online, by mail, email, fax, or in person.
  • Do I Need an ID to Register Online? Yes, you will need a valid South Carolina driver's license or a state-issued photo ID card that you get from the DMV.
  • Are there Any Steps I Need to Take Before Registering Online? Yes. You will need to Update Your Address with the DMV. (Use the link to do it online.).
  • How Do I Register by Email, Mail, or Fax? You will need to print and fill out this form. If you are registering for the first time in your county, you must attach a copy of a current valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address in this county. If you do not provide one of those IDs, you will be required to provide one when you vote. Voters who are age 65 and over, voters with disabilities, members of the U.S. Uniformed Services or Merchant Marines and their families, and U.S. Citizens residing outside the U.S. are exempt from this requirement. **Note: You must register to vote in your county and precinct.
  • What if I Want to Register In Person? Contact your local County Voter Registration & Election Office.
  • How Old to I Have to Be to Register? You can register to vote if you will be at least 18 by Election Day.
  • Who is Eligible to Register/Vote? Anyone who is a US Citizen and South Carolina Resident; who is living in the county and precinct they are planning to register in; whose address they list for voter registration is their only legal place of residence, and they do not claim any other place as your legal residence (for voting purposes--if you are unsure whether you are allowed to have a residence in more than one place but only claim your voting rights in one, call the hotline); and who will be 18 years-old or older by Election Day. 
  • What Things Might Make Me Ineligible to Vote? You cannot vote if: a court order has declared you "mentally incompetent" (being under guardianship doesn't necessarily mean you can't vote--a judge has to say that you are "mentally incompetent"); you are not currently in a public prison because you were convicted of a crime; you have never been convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws, OR if were you previously convicted, you have served my entire sentence, including probation or parole, OR  you have received a pardon for the conviction. If you've served your whole sentence, you can vote typically. You will need to re-register to vote once you've served the sentence. 
  • What if I'm in Jail--Can I Vote? If you're incarcerated and are waiting for your trial (but have not been convicted), YES. You will need to vote absentee. 
  • What if I Was Convicted of a Misdemeanor? As long as you're not currently incarcerated (and have not been convicted already), you can vote.