There will be statewide primary election on June 9, 2020. The sample ballot for this election showing the political parties / offices / candidates will be posted on Tidelines as soon as it becomes available.
Given the pandemic, the order to shelter at home (as of this writing), and that many Seabrookers are aged 65 years or older thereby qualifying to vote absentee, you may decide to vote absentee ballot for this upcoming election. Of course, if you are younger than 65, you may qualify to vote absentee under another criteria. See ‘Qualifications to Vote Absentee Ballot’ below.
Absentee Ballot Dates and Deadlines for the June 9, 2020 primary election.
- Absentee ballots are mailed out to voters starting approximately 45 days prior to the election (around April 24).
- The Friday before each election is the last day ballots can be mailed back to the Board of Elections (June 5).
- In person absentee voting generally opens approximately 30 days prior to an election (May 9). Voting hours are from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
- In person absentee voting closes at 5:00 pm on the Monday prior to an election (June 8).
- In person absentee voting takes place a the offices of Charleston County Board of Elections & Voter Registration located at 4367 Headquarters Rd. (off Leeds Avenue), North Charleston, SC 29405 and a few other locations in Charleston County (not yet identified).
- All voted ballots must be received by the Board of Elections and Voter Registration Office no later than 7 pm on election day to be counted.
How to Obtain an Absentee Ballot
Registered voters must complete the South Carolina Application for Absentee Ballot Form in order to receive an absentee ballot. Voters can request the Application for Absentee Ballot Form by phone, submitting a written request via mail, email, fax, visiting the Board of Elections Office in person or completing an online application form.
Please note that when completing the South Carolina Application for Absentee Ballot Form, the voter must identify which primary ballot is being requested, Democratic or Republican, as well as the reason the voter is requesting an absentee ballot. See ‘Qualifications to Vote Absentee Ballot’ below.
- By Phone: The registered voter or an immediate family member may call (843) 744-8683 to request the application for absentee ballot
- By E-mail: The voter can submit a written request for an absentee ballot application to absentee@charlestoncounty.org
- By Fax: A request for absentee ballot application may be faxed to (843) 974-6419
- By Mail: A request for the absentee ballot application may be mailed to POB 71419, North Charleston SC 29415
- In Person: An Authorized Representative may request an absentee ballot application on behalf of a physically disabled voter by visiting the Board of Elections and Voter Registration Office located at 4367 Headquarters Rd., (off Leeds Avenue) Charleston, SC 29405
- On-line: Click here to complete the online South Carolina Application for Absentee Ballot form requesting an absentee ballot. Once the form is filled out, print it, sign and date it, and mail, fax or scan it to the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections.
Qualifications to Vote Absentee Ballot
To vote absentee, you must be a registered voter and meet one of the following criteria:
- Students, their spouses and dependents residing with them
- Members of the Armed Forces, Merchant Marines, Red Cross, USO, government employees, their spouses and dependents residing with them
- Overseas citizens
- For reasons of employment will not be able to vote on election day
- Physically disabled persons
- Persons on vacation
- Persons age 65 or older
- Persons admitted to the hospital as emergency patients on day of election or at least four days prior to the election
- Electors with a death or funeral in the family within 3 days before the election
- Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
- Persons attending sick or physically disabled persons
- Persons serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day
- Certified poll watchers and poll managers.
-Submitted by George Reinhart, Poll Clerk, Seabrook Island Precinct