South Carolina heads to the polls today: What to know about voting in the primary (2024)

It’s going to be a warm and sunny day as South Carolina primary voters head to the polls across the state June 11, making their picks in contests where more than 136,000 ballots have already been cast early.

In addition to deciding several local races, South Carolina Democrats and Republicans will select their congressional nominees for November and make their party picks for all 170 seats in the state Legislature.

The results could answer some big questions and chart the state’s political future.

Will U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace survive a fierce Republican primary challenge in her quest for a third term? How will establishment Republicans fare against conservative hardliners known as the Freedom Caucus in the Statehouse? And who will come out to vote?

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide. There are no COVID-19 restrictions in place.

Here’s what you need to know about casting a ballot today:

Who can vote?

South Carolina has an open primary system. This means any registered voter may cast a ballot in either party’s primary — but not both.

That’s important in case a contest goes to a runoff.

For example, if you vote in a Republican primary for Congress, you cannot vote in any potential Democratic primary runoff in the same contest two weeks later.

For any race on the ballot, candidates must secure more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. If no candidate secures more than 50 percent support, the top two vote-getters will face off in a June 25 runoff.

What races are on the ballot?

All of the state’s seven U.S. House members are up this year and so are all 170 members of the Statehouse.

There are more elections going on depending on your district and your ballot, including high-stakes contest for local county offices and sheriffs.

The three high-profile U.S. House contests are expected to drive voters to the polls. Those contests are happening in the Lowcountry and the Upstate. All are on the Republican side.

In the Charleston area, Mace is facing two Republican challengers in the 1st District race: two-time former state agency head Catherine Templeton of Mount Pleasant and Bill Young of James Island, a political newcomer who is highlighting his background as a Marine veteran.

Meanwhile, in Greenville, U.S. Rep. William Timmons squares off with state Rep. Adam Morgan, chairman of the state House’s hardline Freedom Caucus in the 4th District.

And in the northwest corner of the state, Republican voters will decide who will win the primary for the open 3rd District, which is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan. Voters will need to whittle down the seven-candidate field. If nobody breaks the 50 percent threshold, the top two vote-getters will face each other in a June 25 runoff.

Neither of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats are up this year.

Which races can I vote for?

It depends on where you live. But even if you haven’t moved, your voting precinct may have. As a result of the census-driven redistricting process, political lines have shifted.

Some of those lines shifted in the Charleston area.

In the 1st Congressional District, some 100,000 people whose addresses had them voting in the 1st District for the past decade will learn they are now voters in the 6th District, the seat held by Democrat U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn.

The lines were recently upheld in a 6-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court after a lower court previously ruled the lines were unconstitutional.

In the newly redrawn state Senate District 41, where incumbent state Sen. Sandy Senn is facing a challenge from state Rep. Matt Leber, the map is also different.

The seat now stretches from West Ashley to Johns Island and Ravenel before reaching into parts of Dorchester County, including Ridgeville, as well as Colleton County around Cottageville.

It previously included the northern portion of James Island, northeastern portion of Johns Island, part of West Ashley and unincorporated Charleston County.

Before voting, you can view your sample ballot online at scvotes.gov (You can even print it out and take it with you into the voting booth, if you want.)

Click the “Voters” tab and then select “Check your voter registration.”

How can I look up my ballot?

The best voter is an informed voter. To double-check the races that will appear on your ballot, visit the state Election Commission website at scvotes.gov. At the top of the homepage, click the word “Voters.” Then, click “Get My Sample Ballot.”

Where do I vote?

Your voting precinct and polling place are determined by your address and should be listed on your voter registration card.

To check your voting location, visit the S.C. Election Commission website at scvotes.gov. At the top of the homepage, click the word “Voters.” Then, click “Check Your Voter Registration” or “Find My Polling Place.”

You can also contact your county voter registration office directly.

What should I bring to vote?

To vote in the election, you will need one of the following forms of photo ID:

• S.C. driver’s license.
• S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, which would include an S.C. concealed weapons permit.
• U.S. passport.
• S.C. voter registration card with photo.
• Federal military ID, which would include all Department of Defense photo IDs and the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits card.

If you do not have proper photo ID but are registered to vote, you can cast a provisional ballot that will be recorded once your eligibility is verified.

What can I expect?

Most polling places are community hubs, like schools and churches.

On Election Day, these locations will be surrounded by campaign signs for various political races. You may also see people waving signs as you get closer to the polling site.

Sometimes, candidates or campaign staffers will be shaking hands and talking to voters. They are allowed to do that right up to the entrance.

However, any campaign signs or materials must be at least 500 feet from the polling entrance. Inside the polling place, no campaigning is allowed.

What does early voting look like so far?

There are some 3.2 million registered voters in South Carolina. Voters in South Carolina do not register by party.

As of June 10, a total of 136,613 ballots had already been cast in the state primary.

In the 2022 primaries, turnout was just shy of 17 percent, with about 6 percent of registered voters in the Democratic primary and about 11 percent in the Republican primary.

When will we know who won?

It all depends on how quickly election officials can tally up the results.

The Post and Courier will be covering the races all day and night. Check postandcourier.com for results and analysis.