Around the office, Voting Rights Staff Attorney Tish Gotell Faulks likes to cheerfully remind us of the countdown to Election Day 2024.
Today we asked her to give a quick rundown of election season deadlines. For more information and links, check our Voting Information Center.
Tish, Election Day is just around the corner. What are some deadlines I need to keep in mind between now and November 5?
First and most importantly, check your voter registration status and ensure you appear in the state’s system. If you have never registered to vote in South Carolina or have relocated within South Carolina but outside of your original precinct, you must either register to vote or provide a change of address. The deadline to register or update your registration in person, by email, online, by fax, or by mail is Monday October 14, 2024. Some states allow same-day registration or change of address, but South Carolina does not.
(Note: Previously announced registration deadlines were pushed back due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. See our letter advocating for this change here.)
Second, early voting begins on October 21, 2024, and will remain available to voters through November 2, 2024. Early voting may be the best alternative for voters unable to vote on election day because absentee voting is only available for certain voters.1 If you do not fit into any of those categories and know you cannot vote on election day, plan to vote early in your county of registration. Early voting locations are listed on the website for your county voter registration office and the State Election Commission's website.
Finally, if you are eligible and plan to vote by absentee ballot, you must request an absentee ballot application by October 25, 2024, at 5 p.m. That request must be made to your county voter registration office. Once your county voter registration office mails the absentee ballot to you, that absentee ballot may be returned in person, by a family member on the voter’s behalf, or by mail. However, it is critical that voters return their absentee ballots as instructed and in the envelopes provided as soon as possible. Irrespective of how you return your absentee ballot, it must be received at your county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on November 5, 2024.
How can I check to see if I am registered to vote?
You can verify your registration in several ways. First, you can go to the South Carolina Election Commission website (here) to verify your registration status. You may also receive a registration card in the mail directly from your county voter registration office. That registration card will list your name, personal demographic information, registration address, and voting district and precinct. Please note that this card IS NOT appropriate identification to verify your identity at the polls.
You can also call the Election Protection toll-free hotline and request assistance verifying your registration status. Election Protection is a national, nonpartisan coalition that works year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have their vote count. You can reach their voter helplines administered by coalition members at the following numbers:
English: 866-OUR-VOTE – Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA – NALEO Educational Fund
Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US – Arab American Institute (AAI)
Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE – APIAVote & Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
What should I do if my voter registration has been canceled?
You may have been purged if you do not appear in the state’s system but have previously registered to vote in South Carolina. Register by the dates listed above.
You may also appear as registered but “inactive.” Your registration does not “expire,” but the South Carolina Election Commission or your county voter registration office may have determined that your information is stale. That does not mean you cannot vote. Instead, you will be asked to verify or update your information2 when you vote. There is no need to re-register, and you remain eligible to vote by provisional ballot, if nothing else. If you vote by provisional ballot, verify what you need to do to ensure that your provisional ballot is counted. DO NOT leave the polling place. Instead, demand a provisional ballot to cast your vote. You may need to cure3 a defect present on election day, but this is fixable during the “curing process.”
What kind of problems do people commonly run into when voting in South Carolina?
When voters come to the polls on Election Day, typical problems include a lack of signage indicating the polling place generally or the specific door through which voters should enter. Voters living with physical disabilities may encounter a longer than appropriate wait time to vote from their vehicle. Sometimes, people forget or misplace their identification. Counties may also consolidate or close polling locations to manage limited resources.
Occasionally, voters discover that their polling location is opening late or attempting to close early. Perhaps a voter is unaware that the polling location has moved. Voters should never be turned away from an open polling location without being offered an opportunity to cast a ballot, even if they lack identification or do not appear in the logbook. At the very least, poll workers should offer the voter the option of casting a provisional ballot. Voters can call 866-OUR-VOTE to report these kinds of challenges or for assistance.
When voting early, voters living with a physical disability may encounter a longer than appropriate wait time to vote from their vehicle. Depending on the day and time, voters may experience long lines at one or several early voting sites. Though South Carolina law requires that the polls remain open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, early voting sites may not maintain similar hours of operation. Check with your county voter registration office before going to an early poll location. Voters can call 866-OUR-VOTE to verify the location and operation times for their county’s early voting locations.
The process of casting an absentee ballot has become increasingly complicated. Read carefully to ensure you have included all the information required to cast an absentee ballot. Ensure that you have included the requisite certifications if a family member is returning your absentee ballot. Make sure the person returning your absentee ballot meets legal requirements to do so. Sign your absentee ballot envelope in the designated place. If the voter is mailing their absentee ballot, leave enough time for the ballot to arrive back to your county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on November 5. Voters can call 866-OUR-VOTE if they have questions or concerns about their absentee ballot.
Who can I call if I have problems voting?
If you encounter a problem voting or have a question or concern about something you observe at the polls, you have several options to report your problem or concern. First, the United States Department of Justice maintains a hotline to track voter intimidation, violence at the polls, or misconduct likely to undermine confidence in the veracity and security of the election. That number is 800-253-3931. You can also complain on the DOJ’s website, linked here.
Next, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) maintains a hotline voters can call to report their concerns. That number is (833) 4SC-VOTE.
Finally, voters can call the Election Protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) to report issues or request assistance if they experience intimidation, electioneering, or are refused a ballot.
1 The following categories of people are allowed to vote by absentee ballot:
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People with employment obligations who present written certification of same,
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caretakers for sick people or someone living with a disability,
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incarcerated voters entitled to vote,
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people who will be absent from their county of residence,
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people living with a physical disability,
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people over the age of sixty-five (65),
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active-duty military or Merchant Marines and their spouse or dependents, or
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people admitted to the hospital as emergency patients.
S.C Code § 7-15-320.
2 If you have moved within the same precinct in which you were previously registered, you remain eligible to cast a regular ballot. If you have moved within the same county but a different precinct, you may be compelled to cast a provisional ballot on election day. If you can, register with your new address before the dates listed above. If you moved to a different county, you must register in your new county of residence. If a voter is registered in the appropriate county, they should not be turned away without being informed of voting options regardless of address discrepancies.
3 The process of fixing a deficiency on a provisional ballot is called “curing.” After election day, a voter who cast a provisional ballot may go to their county voter registration office to fix or “cure” the deficiency. This may be as simple as showing your valid government-issued identification or verifying that you are registered at a particular address.
