Press Release

March 29, 2022 - Florence and Darlington Counties

Important Dates & Deadlines

Filing Opens:  Noon, Friday, December 3, 2021

Filing Closes:  Noon, Saturday, December 11

Find candidate names and information (available after filing opens).

December 26 - Voter Registration Deadline for Primary (mail-in voter registration forms will be accepted if postmarked by Monday, December 27)

January 25, 2022 - Primary (if necessary)

February 8 - Primary Runoff (if necessary)

February 27 - Voter Registration Deadline for Special Election (mail-in voter registration forms will be accepted if postmarked by Monday, February 28)

March 29 - Special Election

Candidate Filing Information

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 7, 2021) – Absentee voting is underway at county elections offices throughout the state for local elections held on November 2nd. The State Election Commission (SEC) would like to remind voters that that the special provisions for absentee voting in effect for the 2020 General Election have expired and a qualifying reason (listed below) is required to vote absentee in any election in South Carolina.

See a list of all upcoming municipal elections in 2021.

Qualified to vote absentee? Vote in person or by mail:

In Person

COLUMBIA, S.C. (September 29, 2021) – To help ensure voters are prepared for Municipal Election Day (November 2nd), the State Election Commission wants to remind everyone of the upcoming voter registration deadlines and urge those already registered to update their information.

With over 200 local elections being held in South Carolina on Municipal Election Day, now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote.  See a list of all upcoming elections in 2021.

YOU MUST BE REGISTERED BY THE DEADLINE TO VOTE ON MUNICIPAL ELECTION DAY.

Anyone not currently registered to vote in their county of residence must register by the deadline, including those in the following categories:

COLUMBIA, SC (September 1, 2021) – The South Carolina State Election Commission, along with election officials across the country, are celebrating National Voter Registration Month this September. During the month, state and local election officials are encouraging South Carolinians to register to vote and update their address.  September 28th will be highlighted as National Voter Registration Day.

With over 200 local elections being held in South Carolina on Municipal Election Day (November 2nd), now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote.  See a list of all upcoming elections in 2021.

YOU MUST BE REGISTERED BY OCTOBER 3rd TO VOTE ON MUNICIPAL ELECTION DAY.

Registering to vote has never been easier:

COLUMBIA, SC (December 2, 2020) – A survey conducted following the 2020 General Election shows a large majority of voters are confident in the integrity of South Carolina's elections and were comfortable with the state's new paper-based voting system.

Click here for survey details.

COLUMBIA, SC (November 18, 2020) – The five members of the SC State Election Commission today approved a resolution of thanks and appreciation to voters for their patience and enthusiasm and to county and state election officials and volunteers for their unwavering commitment to creating and enacting plans to provide safe and accessible registration and voting opportunities for every citizen.

“Faced with extraordinary challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state and county election officials worked tirelessly to adapt to new voting laws and set up safe voting processes,” said John Wells, Chairman of the State Election Commission. “As a result, the 2020 General Election was conducted safely and securely, all while seeing the largest number of voters in South Carolina election history. We thank the voters across South Carolina for their patience and enthusiasm under unprecedented circumstances.”

COLUMBIA, SC (November 3, 2020) – Due to a printing error by the ballot printing vendor, Dorchester County absentee by mail ballots are unable to be tabulated using ballot scanners.  All ballots will be counted, and this does not impact the integrity of the election.  However, unofficial results of by mail ballots in Dorchester County will not be available tonight.  Results of in-person absentee ballots and election day ballots are unaffected.

It is too early to know when the results will be tabulated, but the SEC is working with elections officials in Dorchester County to count the ballots accurately and completely.

This issue only impacts the approximately 14,600 by mail ballots issued by Dorchester County.

COLUMBIA, SC (October 28, 2020) – More than one million South Carolinians have already cast their ballots in the 2020 General Election, doubling the record for absentee voting set in the 2016 General Election.  Based on current trends, 1.3 million voters could vote before election day, which could be approximately half of the total turnout in the election.

The highest turnout in a presidential election in the past 25 years was 76% in 2008.  If the 2020 General Election matches that turnout, approximately 2.7 million of the 3.5 million registered voters in South Carolina will vote.

2020 General Election Absentee Statistics as of 12:00 p.m., October 28

Total Issued: 1,105,000,000 (Record - 517,000 - 2016 GE)

Total Returned: 1,013,000 (Record - 503,000 - 2016 GE)

     In Person Issued/Returned:  642,000 (Record - 370,000 - 2016 GE)

     By Mail Issued:  464,000 (Record - 147,000 - 2016 GE)

COLUMBIA, SC (October 15, 2020) – A record number of South Carolinians are voting absentee, both in person and by mail.  Based on current trends, more than one million voters will vote before election day.

While in person absentee voting is available through November 2, the deadline to apply for an absentee by mail ballot is quickly approaching.  Voters who want to vote by mail in the November 3 General Election need to act now and return their application no later than Saturday, October 24. 

2020 General Election Absentee Statistics as of 5:00 p.m., October 15

Total Issued: 637,000 (Record - 517,000 - 2016 GE)

Total Returned: 388,000 (Record - 503,000 - 2016 GE)

     In Person Issued/Returned:  221,000 (Record - 370,000 - 2016 GE)

     By Mail Issued:  416,000 (Record - 147,000 - 2016 GE)

     By Mail Returned:  167,000 (Record - 133,000 - 2016 GE)

Ballots received through October 7 will be accepted without a witness signature.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 6, 2020) – South Carolinians voting absentee by mail must now have their signatures on ballot return envelopes witnessed after the United States Supreme Court late yesterday reinstated the requirement.  

Under the court’s order, ballots already received by county officials and those received through October 7 will be counted regardless of whether the return envelope bears a witness signature.

To ensure your absentee by mail ballot counts, voters must: