South Carolina

You do not need a “REAL ID” to vote in South Carolina.

Your driver’s license or state ID card will show a star if it meets REAL ID requirements under federal law.

• South Carolina REAL ID info

Get in touch with VoteRiders if you have questions or need free help securing ID.

South Carolina voters who do not present an accepted photo ID at the polls have two options:

Vote with a Reasonable Impediment Statement

This option is for voters who don’t have and can’t reasonably get an accepted form of photo ID.

How to vote using a Reasonable Impediment Declaration:

• Bring your non-photo voter registration card
• Tell the poll worker that you don’t have a photo ID and could not get one
• Complete and sign a Reasonable Impediment Statement
• Vote a provisional ballot (counted unless election commission has reason to believe your reasonable impediment statement is false)

A “reasonable impediment” is something you can’t control that stops you from getting an accepted photo ID.

South Carolina accepts the following reasons:

• lack of transportation
• lack of birth certificate (or other necessary documents)
• disability or illness
• conflict with your work schedule
• family responsibilities
• religious objection to being photographed
• any other obstacle you find reasonable

Vote a Provisional Ballot and Return with ID

Cast a provisional ballot if you can’t to present ID or vote under a reasonable impediment exception. Provisional ballots make sure eligible voters are not rejected at the polls.

For your provisional ballot to count, you must submit an accepted photo ID to you county’s elections office before the election is certified. This usually happens on the Thursday or Friday following Election Day.

Find your local office.

There is no process to “cure” (fix) your ballot if it is rejected.

• Person with employment obligations that prevent you from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
• Person attending a sick or physically disabled person, which prevents you from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
• Person confined to a jail or pretrial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial, which prevents you from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
• Person who will be absent from your county of residence during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
• Person with physical disabilities.
• Person 65 years of age or older.
• Member of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, as well as your spouse and dependents residing with you.
• Person admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a four-day period before the election.

Learn more about procedures related to Military and Overseas Citizens.