Early in-person voting begins next week in the Palmetto State for the first time ever during a November general election.
The early voting period runs Monday, Oct. 24, through Saturday, Nov. 5.
Voters will have three locations in Lancaster County to cast early ballots and may do so from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The locations include the Del Webb Library, 7641 Charlotte Highway, Indian Land; the elections office on the lower level of Lancaster County Administration Building, 101 N. Main St., Lancaster; and the Heath Springs Seniors Complex, 5353 Kershaw Camden Highway, Heath Springs.
In another first, early voters in South Carolina will be able to vote six days a week. Ballots can be cast on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5.
“I think early voting is going to work out really well for most voters,” said Mary Ann Hudson, the county’s elections director. “You’ve got three locations, you’ve got extended hours and of course, you’ve got the voting on Saturdays. It’s going to be just like casting your ballot on Election Day. I think it’s going to work really well.”
Some state officials are predicting that half of South Carolina’s 3 million registered voters will cast early in-person ballots.
Hudson isn’t sure, but expects many voters to vote early.
“We anticipate that it’s going to be higher than usual,” Hudson said. “We will be able to get a feel about the overall turnout after that first week of early voting.”
While Kershaw has more voters that Heath Springs, Hudson noted that Heath Springs was selected as an early voting site because of its overall proximity in the southern end of the county.
“We expect to pick up Rich Hill, Pleasant Hill, Elgin and voters in the surrounding precincts, as well as Kershaw,” Hudson said. “It’s just a more centralized location for a larger number of voters.”
Voting early
Those voting early in-person will be asked to show one of the following: a valid S.C. driver’s license, an S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, an S.C. voter registration card with photo, a federal military ID or a U.S. passport.
Those with questions about voter registration information should call the voter registration office at 803-285-2969.
October 20, 2022 | Lancaster News, The (SC)
Author/Byline: Gregory A. Summers