Polls are open across South Carolina

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Voters who did not take advantage of early voting in the Palmetto State can cast their ballot starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Polling stations nationwide are open until 7:00 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast their vote.

Click here to check your voter registration.

Click here to find your polling place.

Click here to view a sample ballot for your district.

Over the past two weeks, a record number of South Carolinians — just over a million and a half people, either in person or by mail — have voted early. That's about 46 percent of the state's registered voters. But unlike early voting, voters who cast their ballots on Election Day must go to their specific polling places.

Voters must present a valid photo ID to check-in. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a South Carolina driver's license, South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles identification card, South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit, South Carolina voter registration card with photo, United States military ID card, and United States passport.

READ MORE: Your voter's guide for the 2024 general election

If you still have a mail-in ballot, the deadline to return it is 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to return their ballots in person to ensure they are received before the deadline.

The State Election Commission says if you vote on Tuesday, it's hard to predict how long you'll have to wait in line, although more people typically leave in the morning. But they say South Carolina's high early voter turnout should help reduce overall wait times.

Several organizations, including the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority, the South Carolina Coalition for Voter Participation and the Airport Limo Taxi Association at Charleston International Airport, are offering free rides to the polls.

The biggest fight in the 2024 general election is the race for the White House between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump.

But for the Lowcountry, U.S. Congressional elections will determine who represents the state's First, Sixth and Seventh Districts.

In the First District, which includes parts of Berkeley and Beaufort counties and parts of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester and Jasper counties, Republican incumbent Nancy Mace is hoping to keep her seat as a challenger to Democrat Michael Moore.

Democrat Jim Clyburn, who was first elected to represent the Sixth Congressional District in 1992, faces a challenge from Republican Duke Buckner and three others. This district includes all or part of 14 counties in South Carolina, including all of Williamsburg County and portions of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Jasper and Orangeburg counties.

In South Carolina's Seventh Congressional District, which covers all or part of eight counties including Georgetown County, there is a battle for votes between incumbent Rep. Russell Fry, a Republican; and challenger Mal Hyman, a Democrat.

Lowcountry voters will also elect the state's Ninth Circuit Solicitor, the top prosecutor for the state's Ninth Circuit. Republican incumbent Scarlett Wilson faces a challenge from Democrat David Osborne. The Ninth District includes Berkeley and Charleston counties.

Two other Lowcountry attorney candidates are unopposed. Attorney David Pascoe, a Democrat, is running unopposed in the 1st District, which includes Calhoun, Orangeburg and Dorchester counties. In the Fourteenth District, which includes Allendale, Colleton, Hampton, Beaufort and Jasper counties, Republican Duffie Stone is also running unopposed.

In six Lowcountry counties, voters decide who becomes sheriff. In Charleston County, incumbent Democrat Kristin Graziano faces a challenge from Republican Carl Ritchie, the former police chief in Mount Pleasant. In Colleton County: Buddy Hall, a Republican; faces a challenge from Democrat Alyssa Bodison. Dorchester County Chief Deputy Sam Richardson, a Republican; hopes to defeat the democratic challenger Karl Friedrich III. to defeat. And in Georgetown County, Republican incumbent Carter Weaver is battling Democrat Birt Adams for the post.

Incumbent Democratic Sheriffs Leroy Ravenel of Orangeburg County and Stephen Gardner of Williamsburg County are running unopposed.

Most coroner races feature a single candidate. But in Charleston County, Democratic challenger Frank Broccolo is hoping to unseat Republican incumbent Bobbi Jo O'Neal.

In Charleston County, Democratic incumbent county Treasurer Mary Tinkler is hoping to retain her seat against Republican challenger Mike Van Horn.

The election includes numerous races for the South Carolina State House as well as members of the Lowcountry County Council and school board.

In South Carolina, members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms, while members of the Senate serve four-year terms. But in this year's election, every seat in both houses will be up for re-election.

All South Carolina voters will also decide whether the state constitution needs to be amended to ban non-citizens from voting in the state.

Voters in different counties may face additional voting questions. One of the most watched ballot questions will likely face Charleston County voters, who will decide whether to renew a half-cent transportation sales tax that will generate nearly $5 billion for road projects, including completion of the Mark Clark Expansion Project , and $432 million for Greenbelt projects.

Polls close nationwide at 7 p.m. The counting of ballots will not begin until that time, although State Election Commission officials are confident that all state elections will be decided by the end of the evening.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.