NEWBERRY COUNTY — The Nov. 8 General Election is right around the corner, and if you have not registered to vote, you only have a few days left to do so. The last day to register to vote in this election is Saturday, Oct. 8.

If a potential voter has an application and the office is closed they can slide it under the door at Newberry County Voter Registration and Elections, 1927 Wilson Road. Mailing an application is also an option, but it must be postmarked Oct. 8. The Voter Registration and Elections also have a fax machine, and applications can be faxed to 803-321-2122.

“We are not open on Oct. 8. They can however do online registration, that is until midnight,” said Shanna Proctor, director of Newberry County Voter Registration and Elections. “If they want to register in person, it needs to be by Oct. 7 by 5 p.m.”

To register you have to be 18 on or by Nov. 8. Proctor recently had a young man come register who will turn 18 on Nov. 8.

“Big thing the state is doing is online. SCVotes has an app. They can register, can get their absentee ballot, get sample ballot on that thing. I think it has been successful,” Proctor said. “The online voter registration has been very busy through our system”

The name of the app is My scVOTES and can be found in the Apple App Store and Google Play. This app allows you to register, check and update your registration, find your polling place, get a sample ballot, get absentee application and get updates on elections.

Proctor is anticipating that this year’s general election will have a large turn out, they are comparing this election to the 2008 election. According to scvotes.org, during that election 16,752 registered voters out of a possible 20,624 voted, that is roughly 81 percent.

“Presidential elections usually are, and there is no incumbent this time. Usually incumbents have an advantage to a point, that is why we are comparing to 2008,” Proctor said.

Due to this, Proctor is recommending that if anyone is eligible to vote absentee, to do so.

“If they qualify for absentee they need to use it because we are expecting long lines,” Proctor said.

Absentee ballots can be turned in to the Voter Registration and Elections office on Election Day. Proctor added that they will be open Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. specifically to take absentee ballots.

Proctor also reminds anyone who is doing an absentee ballot online that they need to print it out, because it must be signed and sent back to the Voter Registration Office.

A common misconception that people have about absentee ballots is that they are only counted if there is a tie, but this is not the case. “In South Carolina, absentee ballots are the first thing counted,” Proctor said.

Election Day

On Election Day, Proctor said the rush times will be first thing in the morning until about 9 a.m., lunchtime and then about 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Photo IDs are still required for residents to vote. Accepted photo IDs include South Carolina driver’s license, South Carolina DMV ID card, South Caroling voter registration card with photo, federal military ID and a United States passport.

In South Carolina, if you cannot get a photo ID all you have to do is bring your non-photo voter registration card with you to your polling place. You may then vote on a provisional ballot, after signing an affidavit stating you have a reasonable impediment to obtaining photo ID. This ballot will count unless someone proves to the county election commission that you are lying about your identity or having the listed impediment.

Impediments include a disability or illness, a conflict with your work schedule, a lack of transportation, a lack of a birth certificate, family responsibilities, a religious objection to being photographed and any other obstacle you find reasonable.

All precincts will remain the same, except for the Prosperity precinct which will now be located at Prosperity Rikard Elementary, 381 S. Wheeler Ave. Proctor said this location has better parking, which is needed since they are predicting higher voter turnout.

Residents and candidates should keep in mind that campaign material like literature, buttons, and bumper stickers are not allowed within 200 feet of a polling area. This includes the Newberry County Voter Registration and Elections office.

The My scVOTES app will allow users to check and update your registration, find your polling place, get a sample ballot, get absentee application and get updates on elections. You can scan the QR code above to download the app now.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Vote.jpgThe My scVOTES app will allow users to check and update your registration, find your polling place, get a sample ballot, get absentee application and get updates on elections. You can scan the QR code above to download the app now.

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.