Voting in York County
A voter shows his ‘I Voted’ sticker in front of the York County Government Center in the Town of York
The next election
in York County
is the General Primary
on June 11
US House, SC House and Senate
and some local offices and boards
The two separate Presidential Primaries in February made the Primary calendar kind of confusing. Now it gets easier. We’ll have a General Primary on June 11 for all parties (Democrat, Republican and any 3rd parties). A runoff if needed for any offices. And the General Election on November 5.
There will be an early voting period before each of those. Details below!
What’s on this page?
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Election Dates
Statewide Primary: June 11, 2024
OK… the two parties had separate Presidential Primaries in February. But they (and any 3rd parties) are back together again in June for a Primary for all other elected offices. Here are the dates:
All Federal, State, County level Prmaries (all parties):
June 11, 2024, 7 am - 7 pm (that’s a Tuesday… no more Saturday voting 😒
Early voting: May 28 - June 7
8:30 am - 5 pm
Closed weekends and state holidays
Runoffs (if needed):
June 25, 7 am to 7 pm (also a Tuesday
Early Voting for Runoffs: June 19-21
that’s just three days, Wednesday-Friday
8:30 am - 5 pm
(Early voting locations for the June Primary are TBA)
November General Election
The General Election is November 5, 2024. Early voting info is TBA, but probably the usual two weeks prior to election day (closed on Sundays and State Holidays).
There’s an incredibly detailed calendar for all election activity (voting, early voting, candidate filing, etc.) from the SC Election Commission here.
While you do not register with a political party in South Carolina, you do express a one-time preference when you choose which ballot to take in the June primary, and if there is a runoff, you are limited to vote in that party in that runoff. After that, you are wide open again.
And of course you are not required to vote for that party or candidate in the General Election in November.
If you voted in either Presidential Primary in February. you are not required to vote with that party in the June primary.
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Other important election dates and deadlines:
May 10, 2024: Deadline to register to vote in person for the June 11 Primary.
May 12 is the deadline to register to vote online or by fax or email
May 13 is the deadline to register to vote by mail (must be postmarked by this date).
November 5: General Election Day
Polls open 7 am to 7 pm. Find your polling place here
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Voter Information
The SCVotes.gov web site is a one-stop shop for voter information. You can
check and update your voter registration.
Get a sample ballot (when they’re ready).
Find your Polling Place and more.
VoteBlueSC is another voter information resource with a section on voting rights and a FAQ about voting in South Carolina.
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Voter Registration
Are you registered to vote?
You must be registered no less than 30 days before an election. The June 11 General Primary is the next election you can vote in if you’re not already registered… but don’t put it off.
The SC DMV offers voter registration when you get your Driver’s License, so chances are you registered then. If you’re not sure, check here. (that’s the official State site)
Who can register?
Who can vote in SC?
You have to be a US Citizen, over 18 by election day, and a SC resident in the county and precinct in which you are registering/voting. You can’t be under a court order declaring you mentally incompetent. You can’t be in prison following a conviction. If you have been convicted of a felony or offense against the election laws, you must have served your entire sentence, including probation or parole, or have received a pardon for the conviction.
If you need to register, first you need an up-to-date SC Driver’s License or State ID. If you don’t have one, or if you’ve moved, your first stop is at the DMV. While you’re there getting or updating your Driver’s License or ID, you can also register to vote (watch those deadlines!).
If you’re all set with your Driver’s License or State ID – but you’re not registered to vote – you can register online. You can also register in person at the York County Government Center in the town of York. Here’s a list of other agencies that offer voter registration. Finally, voter registration tables are usually set up at a variety of events and rallies.
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Voting in person —
What do you need?
South Carolina has a Voter ID Law that requires a Photo ID, but does have exceptions. For most people, a current SC Drivers License or ID Card is all you need. Other accepted IDs include a SC Voter Registration Card with Photo, Federal Military ID (Includes all Department of Defense Photo IDs and Veterans Affairs Benefits Card), and a US Passport (Includes US Passport ID Card).
If you don’t have a Photo ID, but you are registered to vote, you can get a free Photo ID from your county voter registration and elections office or your local DMV office.
More details on voting and a list of exceptions from the Photo ID requirement are here in an extensive FAQ from SCVotes.
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Early Voting
OK… the two parties had separate Presidential Primaries in February. But they (and third parties) are back together again in June for a Primary for all other elected offices.
All other Federal, State, County level Prmaries (all parties)
Election Day: June 11, 2024
Early voting: May 28 - June 7
8:30 am - 5 pm
Closed weekends and state holidays
Runoffs (if needed):
June 25, 7 am to 7 pm (also a Tuesday
Early Voting for Runoffs: June 19-21
that’s just three days, Wednesday-Friday
8:30 am - 5 pm
November General Election: November 5, 2024
Early Voting dates and locations for the General Election are TBA
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Early Voting Locations
for the June General Primary
Early voting locations for the June General Primary have not yet been announced
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Vote by Mail
(Absentee Voting)
In South Carolina, voting by mail is still called Absentee Voting. Everyone over 65 may vote by mail. Most people younger than 65 must vote in person, but there are exceptions. The list includes things like employment, illness, travel, disabilities, Armed Forces and Merchant Marine service.
The SC Election Commission has this detailed FAQ for Absentee Voting in 2024. It should answer almost any question.
Note that there is no online application for Absentee Voting (state law). But you can download the forms to complete and mail back to your County Board of Elections.
Authorized Representative Form
Used when requesting an absentee application on behalf of a Voter.Authorized Returnee Form
Used when returning absentee by-mail ballot on behalf of a Voter.
All requestors are limited to five requests in addition to their own per election. Voters may participate in only one party’s presidential preference primary.
The request period began on January 1, 2024. You can apply now for the June 11 General Primary if you expect to qualify.
The FAQ says that ballots will be mailed to Absentee Voters about 30 days before the election.
You can return the ballot in person to the York County voter registration office, or you can mail it in. If you return it in person, you will need a Photo ID, same as voting in person.
Ballots returned by mail should be mailed no later than one week prior to election day to help ensure timely delivery. Ballots must be received by the York County voter registration office by 7:00 p.m. on election day.