Voter ID Requirements for Elections
On Tuesday November 5, towns, cities and counties across the Palmetto State will hold elections. For many, it will be the first election under the new Voter ID guidelines. If you are not sure what you’ll need at your polling place, see the guidelines below courtesy of the South Carolina State Election Commission:
Voters will be asked to show one of the following Photo IDs at your polling place:
-S.C. Driver’s License
-ID Card issued by S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles
-S.C. Voter Registration Card with Photo
-Federal Military ID
-U.S. Passport
HOW TO GET A PHOTO ID:
If you do not currently have one of the Photo IDs above, you can make your voting experience as fast and easy as possible by getting one free of charge:
Registered voters can get a voter registration card with a photo from their county voter registration and elections office by simply providing their date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security Number. Click here to learn how to register to vote.
Get a DMV ID card at a local DMV office. Check with DMV or scdmvonline.com for required documents.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PHOTO ID ON ELECTION DAY:
If you have a reasonable impediment to obtaining Photo ID, you may vote a provisional ballot after showing your non-photo voter registration card. A reasonable impediment is any valid reason, beyond your control, which created an obstacle to obtaining Photo ID. Some examples include:
-Religious objection to being photographed
-Disability or illness
-Work schedule
-Lack of transportation
-Lack of birth certificate
-Family responsibilities
-Election within short time frame of implementation of Photo ID law (January 1, 2013)
-Any other obstacle you find reasonable
To vote under the reasonable impediment exception:
Present your current, non-photo registration card at the polling place
Sign an affidavit stating why you could not obtain a Photo ID
Cast a provisional ballot that will be counted unless the county election commission has reason to believe your affidavit is false.
If you do NOT have Photo ID and do NOT have a reasonable impediment to obtaining one, or you simply forgot to bring it with you to the polls, you may still vote a provisional ballot. However, for your vote to be counted, you must provide one of the Photo IDs to the county election commission prior to certification of the election (usually Thursday or Friday after the election).