Want to vote in the South Carolina primary elections? Here’s how to register
This article was updated with information about how voter eligibility applies to convicted felons.
Candidates have begun filing for the 2022 South Carolina primary elections on June 14. But before residents can vote in the primary or any other election, they have to register.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for Columbia voters.
Review your eligibility
It’d probably be a good idea to make sure you’re eligible to vote in Richland County before trying to register.
According to the South Carolina Election Commission, to be eligible you must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old and a resident of South Carolina and the precinct in which you’ll be voting for at least 30 days. Also, eligible voters cannot be under a court order declaring them mentally incompetent, confined in any public prison because of conviction of a crime.
Anybody who is convicted of a felony or an offense against the election laws is not qualified to register or to vote, unless the disqualification has been removed by service of the sentence or the person is pardoned. Service of sentence includes completion of any prison/jail time, probation and parole.
How to register
To register to vote, residents will need a South Carolina driver’s license or DMV ID. To register online, click here and follow the directions.
Residents can register by mail, email and fax. Download a voter registration form, fill it out and submit it to the Richland County Board of Voter Registration & Elections at one of these options:
- Mailing Address:
Post Office Box 5330
Columbia, SC 29250
Phone: (803) 576-2240
- Voter Registration Correspondence:
Fax: (803) 576-1510
Email: rcvoterapplication@rcgov.us
- Absentee Voter Correspondence:
Fax: (803) 576-2249
Email: absenteeballots@rcgov.us
- Military and Overseas Voter Correspondence:
Fax: (803) 576-2249
Email: harris.sheron@richlandcountysc.gov
Update voter registration
If you have a S.C. driver’s license or DMV ID card, you can update your address using the online voter registration application. If you haven’t updated your DMV address, you must do that first:
If your voter registration information has changed (name, address, etc.), and you still live within the same county, you may update your voter registration information using this form. If you have moved to a different county, you will need to re-register in your new county.
This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
