Voter Registration in South Carolina
Voter Registration in South Carolina
South Carolina residents can register vote in a variety of ways:
- In person through your county board of registration or the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
- Online through the South Carolina Election Commission's online registration portal.
- By mail.
- By fax.
- By e-mail.
Keep in mind that in order to vote in a particular South Carolina election, you must register at least 30 days prior to it.
South Carolina Voter Registration Eligibility
Before you register to vote in South Carolina, make sure you're eligible. You can vote in federal, state, and local elections if you meet the following requirements:
- You must be a citizen of the United States.
- You must be 18 years old or older on Election Day.
- You must be a resident of the precinct in which you register to vote.
- You must be mentally competent.
- You cannot be incarcerated, on parole, or on probation, due to a felony conviction.*
*If you have been convicted of a felony, or an offense against election laws, you must have served your entire sentence (including probation or parole), OR you must be pardoned before you can vote again.
Find all the information you need to finish your moving requirements with the DMV.
Voter ID in South Carolina
The county board of elections will need to have a current and valid photo ID on file for your vote to count in South Carolina.
If you don't have a driver's license to prove your identity, you can apply for a free ID card through the South Carolina DMV.
To apply for a voter ID card, you'll simply need to:
- Complete an Application for a Beginner's Permit, Driver's License, or Identification Card (Form 447-NC).
- Provide proof of your identity and date of birth.
- Provide proof of your U.S. citizenship.
- Provide proof of your Social Security number.
- Provide proof of your SC residency.
For a complete list of acceptable documents, please visit the SC DMV website.
You can submit your application and documents in person at your local South Carolina DMV.
Register to Vote in South Carolina
Online
You can register online through the SC State Election Commission's online portal.
To use the system:
- You must have a South Carolina driver's license or ID card.
- Your current address must be on file with the DMV.
In Person
To register in person, head to your local county board of registration or DMV office and request voter registration form. You can also download and complete the South Carolina Voter Registration Mail Application prior to your visit, and bring it with you.
By Mail, Fax, or E-Mail
To register by mail, complete the South Carolina Voter Registration Mail Application and either mail it, fax it, or send it as an e-mail attachment to your local county board of registration.
Military & Overseas Voter Registration
You can register to vote quickly and easily with the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) if you are outside of SC:
- On military duty.
- As the dependent of someone on military duty.
- Because you live overseas.
To register, you'll need to complete the Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) (Form 76) and complete all the requisite information.
You can submit your FPCA to your county elections office or you can complete your FPCA and submit it online.
As a result, you'll be registered as a Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voter, which ensures easy ballot marking online.
Absentee Registration & Voting
Any South Carolina who is qualified to vote absentee but hasn't registered to vote yet can register to vote using any of the registration methods listed above under Register to Vote in South Carolina.
Once you're a registered voter and qualified to vote absentee, you may do so in person or by mail.
Refer to the state's section on absentee voting to learn whether you qualify to vote absentee, how to get an absentee ballot request, and the deadlines you must meet.
South Carolina College Students
If you are attending college in South Carolina, you can register to vote using your school address as your mailing address so that all correspondence will be received there.
If you are from SC but attending school outside of the state, you can register using your permanent, home address in SC. See our section Register to Vote in South Carolina above for more information.
Changes to Your SC Voter Registration
If you change your name or move within the same county, you can update your SC voter registration in several ways:
- The SC Online Voter Registration system IF you have:
- A South Carolina driver's license or ID card.
- Already changed your name or your address with the SC DMV.
- Completing and sending the SC Voter's Change of Address form (address changes ONLY) and sending it to your county voter registration office:
- By mail.
- By fax.
- By e-mail. You'll need to scan the form and send it as an e-mail attachment.
- Entering your new information on the back of your registration card and sending it to your county voter registration office.
- Going in person to your county voter registration office.
If you move to a different county, you must complete a new voter registration application. See the section above entitled Register to Vote in South Carolina for details.
SC Voter Registration Questions
For questions about voting or elections in general, call the State Election Commission at (803) 734-9060.