Early Voting in S.C. Ends Monday

Record numbers of South Carolina early voters are heading to the polls this fall. The turnout surpasses that of 2008, which also was a banner year for early voting in the Palmetto State.

Preview your ballot: Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, West Ashley.

The high turnout is actually overwhelming the state's system and causing some delays, but voters still may cast their ballots early until Monday at 5 p.m.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...
Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday
Location Address: 3691 Leeds Avenue (former SCE&G Building)
Saturday Opening Dates: October 20 & 27
Saturday Opening Hours: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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While just about everyone qualifies to vote early via absentee, South Carolina does not have a formal early voting process like other states.

Voters must qualify using one of 17 reasons to cast a vote using the absentee method. To find out if you qualify to vote an absentee ballot call (843) 744-VOTE (8683). You can also visit http://vote.charlestoncounty.org for information on absentee voting, district maps, ID card requirements, voter registration, the election process, etc.

The following people are eligible to vote absentee:

• Students, their spouses and dependents residing with them outside their county of residence
• Armed Forces, Merchant Marines, their spouses and dependents residing with them
• Persons serving with the American Red Cross or with the United Service Organizations who are attached to and serving with the Armed Forces
• Employment: Those persons who are required by their employment obligations to be absent from their county of residence or at their place of employment in their county of residence on election day during the hours the polls are open and who will be unable to vote in person
• Persons with physical disabilities
• Governmental employees, their spouses and dependents residing with them who are out of their county of residence on election day during the hours the polls are open
• Persons with a death in the family or persons attending a funeral within a three-day period before the election
• Persons on vacation (who by virtue of vacation plans will be absent from their county of residence and unable to vote in person)
• Poll managers, certified poll watchers, County Registration Board members and staff, and County Election Commission members and staff working on election day
• Overseas citizens
• Persons attending to a sick or physically disabled person
• Persons serving as jurors in state or federal court on election day
• Persons admitted to hospital as an emergency patient on the day of an election or within a four-day period before an election
• Persons 65 years old or older
• Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial