South Carolina

South Carolina

scvotes.gov/

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Upcoming Elections

No Federal Elections Scheduled

Please mail your voting materials early enough to account for mail delivery times. Check the recommended mailing dates section in Chapter 1 for details.

Important information

What is UOCAVA?

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act is commonly referred to as UOCAVA. UOCAVA citizens are U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members and other U.S. citizens residing outside the United States. The law provides the legal basis for absentee voting requirements for federal offices.

What is the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)?

The FPCA (Federal Standard Form 76) allows UOCAVA citizens to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. This form is also used to update your contact information.

What is the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)?

The FWAB (Federal Standard Form 186) serves as an emergency backup ballot for UOCAVA citizens. If you do not receive your absentee ballot from your state in time to return it to your election official to participate in the election, use the FWAB.

What is the Prepaid Mail Label 11- DoD?

Overseas Uniformed Service members can use this label for general election absentee ballots. It provides free express mail service to your election official for general election absentee ballots. You can request to have a Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to your absentee ballot at Military Postal Office locations (APO/FPO). Keep part of the tracking label to track your absentee ballot through the U.S. Postal Service.

What is a primary election?

A primary election is an election held before the general election to determine the candidates that can be placed on the general election ballot.

What is a runoff election?

A runoff election is an election held if the state requires that a candidate receive a certain percentage of the votes in order to advance to a general election or take public office.

I am an American citizen, but I have never lived in the U.S., can I vote in this state?

A U.S. citizen who has never resided in the U.S., and has a parent or legal guardian who was last resided in South Carolina, is eligible to vote in South Carolina.

I am a National Guardsman activated on state orders; does my state afford me UOCAVA privileges?

Yes.

How can I check the status of my ballot?

You can check the status of your absentee ballot here:
https://scvotes.gov/

Does my state have any online tools?

You can see if your state has any online tools available here:
https://www.fvap.gov/south-carolina

Registering and requesting your absentee ballot

Under federal law, the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) registers you to vote and requests absentee ballots for a minimum of all federal elections in the current calendar year. Be sure to complete a new FPCA each year and every time your address changes.

Complete the following sections of the FPCA

Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.
Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.
Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FPCA. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number.
Section 5

A. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax".
B. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party ballot you want to receive. Political party affiliation is not required if requesting an absentee ballot for general elections.
Section 6

Provide any information that may assist your election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
You must provide your race.
You must provide your previous location of registration, if in another state.
Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.
Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.

Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.

Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FPCA. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number.

Section 5

A. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax".
B. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party ballot you want to receive. Political party affiliation is not required if requesting an absentee ballot for general elections.

Section 6

Provide any information that may assist your election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
You must provide your race.
You must provide your previous location of registration, if in another state.

Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.

How and where to submit your FPCA

You can submit the FPCA by mail, email, online, or fax. Contact information can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov.

Mail your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Mail your FPCA directly to your election official.

Email your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Scan the signed FPCA into your computer. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet". Email this package directly to your election official.

Upload your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Scan the signed FPCA into your computer. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet". Use South Carolina's Electronic Voter Accessibility Tool to return your FPCA electronically. Go to https://scvotes.gov/voters/military-overseas-citizens/ and follow the instructions to securely upload your FPCA.

Fax your FPCA: Once your FPCA is complete, sign and date the form. Fax your FPCA directly to your election official. Be sure to also include the "Transmission Cover Sheet".

To find out the status of your FPCA, contact your election official. Your election official will contact you if your FPCA is not accepted.

Voting your ballot

Once you receive your absentee ballot from your state it must be returned according to the deadlines and requirements in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart. For special federal elections, visit FVAP.gov for specific deadlines.

You can submit the state absentee ballot by mail, email, or fax.

Contact information can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section.

Overseas Uniformed Service members can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section.

Haven't received your ballot? Use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) can be used to register to vote. If you are using the FWAB to register, it must be received by the registration deadline listed in the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart.

You can use the FWAB to vote in federal elections.

Complete the following sections of the FWAB's voter information page

Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.
Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.
Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FWAB. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number.
Section 5

A. Check "Yes" if you would like to register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot, otherwise check "No."
B. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax".
C. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party primary in which you are voting. Political party affiliation is not required if voting an absentee ballot in general elections.
Section 6

Provide any information that may assist the election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
You must provide your race.
You must provide your previous location of registration, if in another state.
Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.
Section 1

Select the category that best describes you.
Enter your current name (Last, First). If you are registered under a different name, provide this information in the previous name area.
Your date of birth is required.
You must provide at least the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Section 2

Enter the complete street address of your voting residence where you are registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot. You cannot use a post office box mailing address. If your address is a rural route, use Section 6 to describe the location of your voting residence.

Section 3

Enter your current mailing address, even if you are requesting your ballot by email or online, or fax. If you want your election materials sent to a different address or have a forwarding address, use the forwarding address space to provide this information.

Section 4

Your contact information is recommended so your election official can contact you if they need additional information from you in order to accept your FWAB. If you want to receive your absentee ballot by email or online, or fax, you must provide your email address or fax number.

Section 5

A. Check "Yes" if you would like to register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot, otherwise check "No."
B. Select your preferred method of receiving your absentee ballot. You can choose to receive your absentee ballot by "mail", "email or online", or "fax".
C. To vote in primary elections, you must enter the name of the party primary in which you are voting. Political party affiliation is not required if voting an absentee ballot in general elections.

Section 6

Provide any information that may assist the election official in accepting this form. You can use this space to designate particular elections or the period you wish to receive ballots.
You must provide your race.
You must provide your previous location of registration, if in another state.

Section 7

Sign and date the form. No witness signature required.

Vote your FWAB

To vote, write in either a candidate's name or political party for each office. You are not required to make a selection for each and every contest.

If you are voting in a party's primary election in South Carolina, it is important that you write the candidate name and NOT the political party since all candidates on the ballot will be of the same party. You are eligible to submit a separate instant runoff ballot (IRB) at the same time you submit your primary ballot. The IRB will be used in the event a runoff is necessary for any office. On the IRB, list as many candidates for each office as you wish and provide a rank beside each candidate (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). In the event of a runoff, your vote will count for the candidate in the runoff that you ranked the highest. For more information, visit https://scvotes.gov/.

How and where to submit your FWAB

You can submit the FWAB by mail, email, or fax. Contact information can be found in the "Local Election Offices" section or online at FVAP.gov.

Mail your FWAB: Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Fold along the dotted line and seal the completed "Official Backup Ballot", do not write on the "Official Ballot" envelope. Insert the sealed "Official Ballot" envelope and the "Voter Information" page into the mailing envelope and mail your FWAB directly to your election official.

Overseas Uniformed Service members can request to have the Prepaid Mail Label 11-DoD applied to the general election ballot. Additional information about this label can be found in the "Important Information" section or online at FVAP.gov.

Email your FWAB: Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Scan the signed "Voter Information" page, the "Official Backup Ballot" and the "Transmission Cover Sheet", found at the end Chapter 1 or online at FVAP.gov, into your computer. Be sure to also sign the secrecy waiver on the "Transmission Cover Sheet". Email this ballot package directly to your election official.

Fax your FWAB: Once your FWAB is complete, sign and date the "Voter Information" page. Fax the signed "Voter Information" page, the "Official Backup Ballot" and the "Transmission Cover Sheet", found at the end Chapter 1 or online at FVAP.gov, directly to your election official. Be sure to also sign the secrecy waiver on the "Transmission Cover Sheet".

See the "Federal Election Deadlines" chart for the deadline for submitting the FWAB. If you receive the state absentee ballot after transmitting your voted FWAB, you may also vote and return the state absentee ballot. If both are received by the deadline, only the state absentee ballot will be counted.

Local election offices for countySearch Offices

County Mailing Address
Abbeville Abbeville Board of Voter Registration
903 West Greenwood Street, Suite 2500
Abbeville, SC 29620
Phone: (864) 366-2400 x53
Fax: (864) 366-5797
Aiken Aiken Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 3127
Aiken, SC 29802
Phone: (803) 642-2028
Fax: (803) 642-2029

Allendale Allendale Board of Voter Registration
158 McNair Street
Allendale, SC 29810
Phone: (803) 584-4178
Fax: (803) 584-8147
Anderson Anderson Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 8002
Anderson, SC 29622
Phone: (864) 260-4035
Fax: (864) 260-4203
Bamberg Bamberg Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 947
Bamberg, SC 29003
Phone: (803) 245-3028
Fax: (803) 245-7968
Barnwell Barnwell Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 668
Barnwell, SC 29812
Phone: (803) 541-1060
Fax: (803) 541-3683
Beaufort Beaufort Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Drawer 1228
Beaufort, SC 29901-1228
Phone: (843) 255-6900
Phone: (866) 851-8683
Fax: (843) 255-9429 (843) 524-0617

Berkeley Berkeley Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 6122
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Phone: (843) 719-4056
Fax: (843) 719-4060
Calhoun Calhoun Board of Voter Registration
102 Courthouse Drive, Suite 115
St. Matthews, SC 29135
Phone: (803) 874-2929
Fax: (803) 874-2014
Charleston Charleston Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 71419
North Charleston, SC 29416
Phone: (843) 744-8683
Fax: (843) 974-6419 (843) 745-2236

Cherokee Cherokee Board of Voter Registration
110 Railroad Avenue
Gaffney, SC 29340
Phone: (864) 902-2330
Fax: (864) 902-1127
Chester Chester Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 750
Chester, SC 29706
Phone: (803) 385-2562
Fax: (855) 946-0429
Chesterfield Chesterfield Board of Voter Registration
205 West Main Street
Chesterfield, SC 29709
Phone: (843) 623-2265
Fax: (843) 623-3196
Clarendon Clarendon Board of Voter Registration
3 South Church Street
Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-8215
Fax: (803) 435-9074
Colleton Colleton Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 97
Walterboro, SC 29488
Phone: (843) 549-2842
Fax: (843) 549-2812
Darlington Darlington Board of Voter Registration
131 Cashua Street
Darlington, SC 29532-3222
Phone: (843) 398-4900
Fax: (843)398-4907
Dillon Dillon Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 973
Dillon, SC 29536
Phone: (843) 774-1403
Fax: (843) 841-3728
Dorchester Dorchester Board of Voter Registration
201 Johnston Street
St. George, SC 29477
Phone: (843) 563-0132
Phone: (843) 832-0132
Fax: (843) 563-0186
Edgefield Edgefield Board of Voter Registration
210 Penn Street, Suite 1
Edgefield, SC 29824-0442
Phone: (803) 637-4072
Fax: (803) 637-4134
Fairfield Fairfield Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Drawer 60
Winnsboro, SC 29180-0060
Phone: (803) 635-6255
Fax: (803) 635-5095
Florence Florence Board of Voter Registration
219 Third Loop Road
Florence, SC 29505
Phone: (843) 665-3094
Fax: (843) 292-1613
Georgetown Georgetown Board of Voter Registration
303 N. Hazard Street
Georgetown, SC 29440
Phone: (843) 545-3339
Fax: (843) 545-3342
Greenville Greenville Board of Voter Registration
Greenville County Square, 301 University Ridge, N-1000
Greenville, SC 29601-3668
Phone: (864) 467-7250
Fax: (864) 467-7256

Greenwood Greenwood Board of Voter Registration
600 Monument Street, Suite 13
Greenwood, SC 29646-2642
Phone: (864) 942-8585
Phone: (864) 942-3152
Fax: (864) 942-5664
Hampton Hampton Board of Voter Registration
201 Jackson Avenue
West Hampton, SC 29924
Phone: (803) 914-2080
Fax: (803) 914-2083
Horry Horry Board of Voter Registration
1515 4th Avenue
Conway, SC 29526
Phone: (843) 915-5440
Fax: (843) 915-6440
Jasper Jasper Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 299
Ridgeland, SC 29936-0299
Phone: (843) 726-7709
Fax: (843) 726-7626
Kershaw Kershaw Board of Voter Registration
1117B Broad Street
Camden, SC 29020
Phone: (803) 424-4016
Fax: (803) 424-4012
Lancaster Lancaster Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 1809
Lancaster, SC 29721
Phone: (803) 285-2969
Fax: (877) 636-5277
Laurens Laurens Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 769
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 984-4431
Fax: (864) 983-2529
Lee Lee Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 309
Bishopville, SC 29010
Phone: (803) 484-1832
Fax: (803) 484-4392
Lexington Lexington Board of Voter Registration
605 West Main Street, Suite C
Lexington, SC 29072
Phone: (803) 785-8361
Fax: (803) 785-8390
Marion Marion Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 1898
Marion, SC 29571
Phone: (843) 423-8268
Fax: (843) 423-8267
Marlboro Marlboro Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 502
Bennettsville, SC 29512-0502
Phone: (843) 479-5612
Fax: (843) 454-0633
McCormick McCormick Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 636
McCormick, SC 29835
Phone: (864) 852-2089
Fax: (864) 852-2489
Newberry Newberry Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 147
Newberry, SC 29108
Phone: (803) 321-2121
Fax: (803) 321-2122
Oconee Oconee Board of Voter Registration
415 South Pine Street
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4196
Fax: (864) 638-4197
Orangeburg Orangeburg Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116-9000
Phone: (803) 533-6210
Fax: (803) 533-6215
Pickens Pickens Board of Voter Registration
222 McDaniel Avenue B-9
Pickens, SC 29671
Phone: (864) 898-5948
Phone: (864) 898-5949
Fax: (864) 898-5637
Richland Richland Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 192
Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: (803) 576-2240
Fax: (803) 576-2205

Saluda Saluda Board of Voter Registration
4390 Batesburg Hwy
Saluda, SC 29138
Phone: (864) 445-4500 x2361
Fax: (864) 445-9187
Spartanburg Spartanburg Board of Voter Registration
Post Office Box 1287
Spartanburg, SC 29304
Phone: (864) 596-2549
Fax: (864) 596-2958

Sumter Sumter Board of Voter Registration
129 E. Liberty Street
Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: (803) 436-2313
Fax: (803) 436-2405
Union Union Board of Voter Registration
1246 S. Duncan Bypass, Suite B
Union, SC 29379
Phone: (864) 429-1616
Fax: (864) 427-7851
Williamsburg Williamsburg Board of Voter Registration
126 S. Jackson Street
Kingstree, SC 29556
Phone: (843) 355-6044
Fax: (843) 353-3935
York York Board of Voter Registration
6 South Congress Street, Government Center, Suite 1201
York, SC 29745
Phone: (803) 684-1242
Fax: (803) 684-7801