All states · Nonpartisan. No account. No cookies.
Can I vote by mail in South Carolina?
Only with a qualifying reason.
You need an approved reason, such as travel, illness or disability, age, or work. Check your state's list. If you don't qualify, early in-person voting is usually an option.
Ballots go out about 30 days before the election; the state says mail yours back at least a week early.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5 by mail · Sun, Oct 4 onlinePassed
Online, fax or email by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 4; by mail postmarked by Oct. 5; in person by 5 p.m. Oct. 2.
- Mail request must be receivedFri, Oct 23, 5 p.m.Passed
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on Election Day or in the four days before. Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 7 p.m. (voted ballot received). An immediate family member applies for the ballot, brings it to you and returns it in person with the Authorized Returnee form and photo ID. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 271 day
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be received by Tue, Nov 3. After this date, use a drop box or return it in person.
- Returning it:
Received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Dropping it off? There are no public drop boxes here, so the mail or an election office is your route.
Who can return it for you: Only certain people may return it for you. An immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or in-law) or an Authorized Representative (a registered voter, for someone confined by illness or disability) may return it in person only, not by mail, to the county voter registration office or an early voting center, with the Authorized Returnee form and photo ID. Limit: five ballots besides their own; more is a felony. No drop boxes. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 38 days
If your ballot gets flagged
If your ballot was flagged
South Carolina has no statewide process to fix a flagged mail ballot. Call your county election office right away and ask whether you can still vote another way, such as in person.
Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in South Carolina?
Will your ballot count in South Carolina?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in South Carolina, and how to avoid it
- Extra step in your state: any adult (18+) must witness your signature on the oath; no notary needed. This is the #1 reason ballots get tossed where it applies.
- Sign the envelope. An unsigned envelope is the most common fixable mistake.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Open now through Sat, Oct 31. Locations and hours
Bring a photo ID. If you don't have one there's a fallback, usually signing an affidavit or having your signature checked, and your ballot still counts that day.
Accepted: SC driver's license, SC DMV ID card (incl. concealed weapons permit), SC voter registration card with photo, federal military ID / VA card, U.S. passport Without one: If you have a photo ID but forgot it: provisional ballot that counts only if you show ID to the county office before certification (usually Thu/Fri after the election). If you cannot get a photo ID: bring your non-photo registration card, sign a reasonable-impediment affidavit and vote a provisional ballot that counts unless successfully challenged.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
South Carolina cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Sun, Nov 15.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
Add these dates to my calendarPrintable one-pagerText this to myselfEmail it
Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.