South Carolina Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-In Deadlines 

General Election: November 4, 2008

Voter Registration

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.  Students may register to vote where they attend college only if they establish that they are a resident of that community. In establishing such residence, students must demonstrate that they have a present intention to remain in the community.

How to register to vote:

• Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  
• You can also  download and complete the South Carolina voter registration application. Mail your completed for to your county voter registration office.

ID requirements for first-time voters:

South Carolina requires all applicants to include their full Social Security number on their voter registration forms.  This number is used to make sure that one person has not registered multiple times.  If you are registering for the first time in your county, you MUST attach a copy of a current and valid photo ID that shows your name OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and South Carolina address.  If you do not provide your ID, you'll have to provide it the first time you vote.  

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Absentee Voting

You may vote by absentee ballot for any of the following reasons:

• You are a student, a student's spouse or a dependent residing with a student
• For reasons of employment you will not be able to vote on Election Day
• You are a physically disabled person
• You are on vacation
• You are 65 or older
• You have been admitted to the hospital as an emergency patient on Election Day or at least four days prior to the election (May 30, 2008 for the primary election)
• You have a death or funeral in the family within three days before the election
• You are confined to jail or a pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
• You are attending to a sick or physically disabled person(s)
• You are a certified poll watcher or poll manager

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

You can begin applying on January 1 for any election held during that same year.  The South Carolina absentee ballot application is not available online.  Contact your county voter registration office in person, by phone, or by mail and ask them to mail you an absente ballot application. 

Once you receive your absentee ballot application, fill it out and return it to your county voter registration office.  If you mail your application, make sure it's received no no later than four days prior to the election.  If you wish, you may apply and vote in person up until 5:00 p.m. the day before the election.

If you're unable to apply for yourself, you can ask a member of your immediate family to apply for you.  If you are are ill or physically disabled, you may designate an authorized reprsentative to apply for you.  Candidates and paid campaign workers may not serve as authorized representatives.  Contact your county voter registration office if you have additional questions.

You can check the status of your absentee ballot application online at the South Carolina Election Commission's website. 

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in South Carolina at least once.  If you are a first-time voter, and you did not provide a copy of your ID with your voter registration form, then you must include a copy of your ID with your absentee ballot application.  Acceptable forms of ID include a current and valid photo ID that shows your name OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and South Carolina address.

Emergency absentee ballots:

The deadline to apply for a regular absentee ballot is four days before an election.  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. Contact your county election commission/voter registration office for information on how to obtain an emergency absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot instructions:

Your completed absentee ballot must be placed in the "Ballots Herein" envelope provided with your absentee ballot. The "Ballots Herein" envelope will then be placed inside a "Return Envelope" which you must sign and have witnessed before returning.

Ballots must be returned to your county voter registration office by the close of polls on election day.  Absentee ballots my be returned either by mail or in person.  An absentee ballot may also be returned by an authorized representative by completing "Authorization to Return Absentee Ballot Form."  This form does not appear to be available online, so contact your county voter registration office if you need one.

State Contact Information