South Carolina

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for South Carolina. A summary of South Carolina voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

Explore South Carolina Counties

Voting in South Carolina

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of South Carolina voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with South Carolina’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

• Online: by 30 days before Election Day.
• By mail: must be postmarked 30 days before Election Day.
• In person: by 30 days before Election Day.
• Register or check your registration (South Carolina on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

South Carolina has open primaries: there is no party registration, and on primary day you choose one party’s ballot. You can vote in only one party’s primary.

Voter ID

South Carolina asks voters to show a photo ID. If you don’t have one, there are other ways to cast a ballot that counts, such as being identified by a poll worker or signing an affidavit, depending on state rules.

Early voting

Starts: Two weeks before Election Day. Ends: Day before election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

South Carolina requires an approved reason (excuse) to vote by absentee/mail ballot. Check the state’s list of qualifying reasons.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on South Carolina’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).