- If the polling place or vote center is about to close: If you’re waiting in line when polls close, you have the right to stay in line as long as it takes to be able to cast your ballot.
- If you make a mistake: If you make a mistake on your ballot, you have the right to ask for a new ballot. Never cross out selections because it could result in confusion about what you selected.
- If you need accommodations: Polling places should be accessible to all voters, including those with disabilities. Poll workers are required to make reasonable accommodations to allow you to vote, in accordance with ADA standards. In some states, voters have the right to request voting materials in another language. SEE LATEST NEWS BELOW.
- If you haven’t registered to vote: In some states, you can register in person at your elections office or at the polling place through Election Day. If you haven’t already registered and your state’s deadline to register online or by mail has passed, check with your local elections office to see if in-person registration is an option.
- If you see voter interference: Candidates’ supporters generally have the right to electioneer (campaign) near polling places, but only from a certain distance, set by the state. No one is allowed to threaten or intimidate voters.
A complete manual for poll workers from the S.C. Election Commission describing and illustrating voting mechanics, polling personnel, procedures and voter, candidate and “watcher” rights are published is available for download.
Election Protection Hotline: If you need assistance with voting, you can reach out to the Election Protection Hotline statewide election protection hotline. 1-866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683)
LATEST NEWS:
On August 19, 2026, Fourth Circuit struck down SC’s age limit on no-excuse absentee ballots.
On April 18, 2025, five registered South Carolina voters under age sixty-five challenged the age-based restrictions on absentee-by-mail voting imposed by §7-15-320 of the South Carolina Code. These voting rules, they argued, unconstitutionally discriminated against them solely based on their age, in violation of both the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. To bring this challenge, Plaintiffs sued the Executive Director and all the members of South Carolina’s State Election Commission in their official capacities, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. The district court granted summary judgment to Defendants on both claims. Plaintiffs timely appealed.
On August 19, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reviewed the appeal and struck down SC’s age limit on no-excuse absentee ballots. The court held that the plaintiffs have standing and that South Carolina’s age-based absentee-by-mail voting scheme violates the Twenty-Sixth Amendment because it abridges the right to vote on account of age by providing greater ballot access to older voters. However, the court affirmed the district court’s decision to dismiss the Equal Protection claim, as age is not a suspect classification under the Equal Protection Clause and the plaintiffs did not challenge the law under rational basis or Anderson-Burdick scrutiny. The Fourth Circuit reversed the district court’s judgment on the Twenty-Sixth Amendment claim, affirmed the Equal Protection ruling, and remanded the case for appropriate remedy.
South Carolina’s final implementation plan remains unclear, and state officials have not confirmed if they will appeal the decision. Legal professionals should watch for South Carolina’s response and potential legislative changes ahead of the 2026 midterms.
More info here: https://www.legaltechdigest.com/news/fourth-circuit-rules-sc-can-t-limit-no-excuse-absentee-ballots-by-age
All documents in the case may be found here: https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca4/25-1413