Voter registration for the 2020 presidential primary ends soon. What you need to know
South Carolinians planning to vote in the state’s upcoming Feb. 29 Democratic presidential primary are running out of time to register. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you can cast a ballot:
When is the deadline?
The deadline to register to vote in the Feb. 29 presidential preference primary is Thursday, Jan. 30.
If you’re registering in person, you must appear at your local county board of voter registration office before 5 p.m. that day. If you’re registering through the mail, your letter must be postmarked as Jan. 30.
How do I register to vote?
South Carolina residents can register online, by email, by postal mail or in person at their county voter registration office. They also can participate in a voter registration drive.
A recent court case has changed the voter registration requirements in the Palmetto State. In a settlement between state officials and Democratic Party officials, state officials agreed to only require the last four numbers instead of a full Social Security number.
The settlement stemmed from a lawsuit claiming that requiring voters to provide a full Social Security number to register to vote raises privacy and security issues for state residents who wish to register through a voter registration drive, where volunteers collect registration forms.
A judge has yet to solidify the change to the current system, but S.C. Elections Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said they expect a judge to order the change any day now. In the meantime, Whitmire said, election officials will work with potential voters who only want to submit the last four digits of their Social Security number.
“If you feel uncomfortable about providing the whole Social (Security number), go ahead and provide the last four (digits),” Whitmire said. “It will likely be that the rule will change by the time the application goes in. Otherwise, we’d work with the voter to get registered.”
“Hopefully, anybody who saw the full Social as a barrier or it kept them from registering ... that will move those people to go ahead and register,” Whitmire added.
What if I’m already registered?
Even if voters are already registered, they should be sure to check that their voter information is correct before Jan. 30 to ensure they can still vote, Whitmire said.
If voters have moved to a different county since the last time they voted, they need to register again in their new county, Whitmire said. Voters can double check their registration at SCVotes.org.
“Its the first step to participating in the democratic process,” Whitmire said. “A lot of people don’t think about registration until Election Day. With this registration deadline, an important point to make is it’s not just about new voters.”
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 10:05 AM.
