About Voting

The mission of the State Election Commission (SEC) is to ensure every eligible citizen has the opportunity to register to vote, participate in fair and impartial elections, and have the assurance that their vote will count. Voter registration rules vary by state, so the SEC wants to ensure that voters know the facts about registering to vote in South Carolina.

To be eligible to register in South Carolina you MUST:

• be a United States citizen.
• be at least eighteen years old on or before the next election.
• be a resident of South Carolina in the county and precinct in which you are registering.
• not be under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent.
• not be confined in any public prison resulting from a conviction of a crime.
• have never been convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws OR if previously convicted, have served the entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction

ID is required to register to vote in South Carolina:

• If registering to vote, you MUST provide:
  • A current, valid Photo ID.
  • A utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document showing your name and address in your county.

There are several ways to register in South Carolina:

• You can register online, by mail, in person at a county elections office, OR,
• In person while receiving services at an agency covered by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
  • The NVRA requires states to offer voter registration opportunities at all offices that provide public assistance and all offices that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities. Among others, these agencies include:
    • Department of Motor Vehicles.
    • Department of Social Services.
    • Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
    • See a full list of NVRA agencies on scVOTES.gov.