ARTICLE
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, every voter in South Carolina is now qualified to vote absentee in the June Primaries and Runoffs. On May 12, 2020, SC Governor Henry McMaster signed legislation that authorizes any voter to vote absentee in any election in June 2020. The provision expires on July 1, 2020 and does not apply to any elections after that date. Any voter can now select Reason 18 – State of Emergency on the absentee application. Procedures for voting by absentee ballot are as follows. In Person: • Visit the county voter registration office in your county of residence, complete an application, and cast your ballot. • You may vote absentee in person up until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election. • Rules for photo ID required to vote at the polling place apply. By Mail: Follow these steps to vote absentee by mail. Photo ID is not required to vote absentee by mail. Step 1: Get an absentee application in one of two ways: • Get the application online. Use this link to get your application or the application of an immediate family member online. To get your application online, you must be able to print your application or save your application for printing later. You can also use this link to access your application to print again. • Request an application for yourself or your immediate family member from the county voter registration office in your county of residence by phone, mail, email, or fax. You will be mailed an application. Step 2: You've now printed your application online or received your application in the mail. You must now complete and sign the application and return it to your county voter registration office. You should return the application as soon as possible but no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 4th day prior to the election (the 4th day is Friday for all Tuesday elections). You may return the application by mail, email, fax, or personal delivery. Step 3: Receive your absentee ballot in the mail. Step 4: Vote the ballot following ballot instructions and return it to the county voter registration office in your county of residence by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election. You may return the ballot personally or by mail. You may also have another person return the ballot for you, but you must first complete an authorization to return absentee ballot form, available from your county voter registration office.