Just in case Election Day creeped up on you, here are just a few tips for folks who are making a plan to head to the polls on Tuesday.
Give it a read through if you’re unsure what you need to do OR send it on to that one person who you know hasn’t made their plans to vote.
Wait, this Tuesday? Yes. Election Day is Tues. Nov. 6.
When are the polls open? 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you’re in line at 7 p.m., you can vote.
Where do I vote? You can find your polling place at scvotes.org.
(What if I’m not registered? SHAME. Jk, you can register for the next election at scvotes.org too.)
What do I need to bring? The S.C. Election Commission says you will be asked to show one of the following photo IDs: S.C. driver’s license, DMV ID card, S.C. voter registration card with photo, U.S. passport, or federal military ID.
(Check out the Election Commission FAQ which covers a lot of this.)
What if I do not have a photo ID at all or I lost it?
If you do not have one of the above photo IDs, but you do have your current voter registration card, you can cast a provisional ballot by notifying the poll manager at your polling place.
What if I just forgot to bring my photo ID?
You can also cast a provisional ballot, but for your vote to count, you must take your valid photo ID to the county election office (4367 Headquarters Ave., N. Charleston) by Friday when the election is certified.
What’s the easiest way for disabled voters to cast their ballot?
Voters who cannot enter their polling place because of a disability or age (65 and older) can take advantage of curbside voting available at all polling places. Just look for the signs.
What if I’ve moved since the last election and never updated my voter registration information?
If your precinct did not change, you can vote normally and update your address at your polling place.
If you moved to a different precinct in the same county or moved to another county within 30 days of the election, you can vote what’s called a “Failsafe” ballot.
There are two ways to vote Failsafe. Here’s the Election Commission:
“The voter may vote at the polling place in his previous precinct using a failsafe provisional ballot. A failsafe provisional ballot contains only federal, statewide, countywide, and municipality‐wide offices.
“The voter may go to the voter registration office in the county in which he currently resides, change his address, and vote a regular ballot there.”
Anything else?
As always, voters will have the option to vote straight ticket — to vote for all Republicans or all Democrats on the ballot. However, if you choose to vote straight ticket on Nov. 6, you will not cast any votes in nonpartisan elections, including school board. So if you vote straight ticket, be sure to vote for school board candidates separately.
But lastly, can I take a selfie?
Eh, maybe. The S.C. Election Commission points to a state law that voters are not allowed to show anyone else their ballot. But it’s pretty unclear how the fabled “Voting Booth Selfies” (does anyone really do that?) that don’t show your ballot would be viewed. Either way, you’ll see signs at the polls declaring it a cell phone free area and the Election Commission says plainly, “The use of cameras is not allowed inside the voting booth.”
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.