More than 1 million South Carolina voters have cast absentee ballots, the South Carolina Election Commission announced, doubling the previous record for absentee voting set during the presidential election in 2016.
In a normal year, state law requires voters to have a reason, or an excuse, to cast ballots absentee. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the South Carolina Legislature provided for no-excuse absentee voting for the November election, allowing any South Carolina voter to request an absentee ballot.
Nearly 3.5 million voters are registered in South Carolina. The Election Commission has issued more than 1.1 million absentee ballots, and more than a million have been returned, with the majority of absentee ballots returned in person.
South Carolina’s record for voter turnout during a presidential election was set in 2008, when 76 percent of registered voters participated in the election. If turnout in 2020 matches the 2008 record, the Election Commission estimates about 2.7 votes will be cast.
Based on current trends, the Election Commission estimated 1.3 million voters – more than 30 percent – will cast absentee ballots before Election Day.
After a bitter fight in court, all absentee ballots cast are required to bear a witness signature. The witness can be anyone. Ballots are not required to be notarized. Election Day is Nov. 3.
