South Carolina polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Nov. 3 vote
Voters must bring specific photo IDs, and those who moved recently can still cast ballots under new failsafe rules.
By Maya Morris ·
South Carolina voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polling places operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election officials confirm that anyone standing in line by the closing hour is legally allowed to cast their ballot, regardless of when they arrived.
Before leaving home, residents are advised to verify their voter registration status and locate their specific precinct. Checking the personal sample ballot is also recommended to review candidates for local nonpartisan contests that do not appear in general party listings.
State law requires voters presenting in person to show one of several accepted forms of photo identification. Valid documents include a South Carolina driver's license, a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, a state voter registration card with a photo, a U.S. passport, or a federal military ID. These documents must be current and valid at the time of voting.
Transportation to the polls is provided at no cost in several regions. Central Midlands Transit, known as The COMET, is offering free round-trip fares on all fixed-route buses and DART mobility services across Richland and Lexington counties. Riders can plan routes online or call 803-255-7123 to schedule DART rides for seniors and voters with disabilities. In the Lowcountry, the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority and TriCounty Link will provide free rides to and from polling locations on election day.
Voters using touchscreen machines or optical scan ballots must understand how straight-party voting works. Selecting a party automatically marks all candidates nominated by that party for every office. However, voters can override these selections for specific offices by manually marking a different candidate. This automatic selection does not apply to nonpartisan races, local ballot questions, or offices where the chosen party has no nominee.
Write-in voting is permitted for most offices, excluding the President and Vice President races and political party primaries. Voters can enter names using a digital keyboard on the touchscreen or by handwriting the name and darkening the corresponding oval on a paper ballot.
New failsafe voting rules assist residents who moved but failed to update their address on the voter rolls before the deadline. Those who moved within the same precinct can complete a change of address form at the polling place and vote a full ballot. Voters who moved to a new precinct within the same county may vote a limited ballot at their old location or go to the county voter registration office to update their address and vote fully. Those who moved to another county within 30 days of the election can also vote a limited ballot at their previous county's polling place or update their registration in the new county.
Municipal election voters must have resided within municipal limits for at least 30 days prior to the election to qualify for these failsafe options. The state provides curbside voting at every location for voters with physical disabilities or those aged 65 and older who cannot enter the voting area. Accessible equipment includes audio ballots, tactile keypads, and adjustable screen settings. Voters may receive assistance from a person of their choice, provided that person is not an employer or union agent.
Source: WEPR
