Social distance everybody, and be patient.
That's the advice election officials are telling South Carolina voters ahead of Tuesday's turnout as COVID-19 remains as much a worry as it was during the June primary.
Lines at the state's more than 2,300 voting precincts are expected to be long even though more than one out of every three registered voters in South Carolina has already opted to take part early, either by mail or in person.
That's more than 1.25 million ballots cast ahead of time from among the state's 3.5 million registered voters.
Polls are open statewide from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
If you are in line by 7 p.m., you will still be allowed to vote.
Hundreds of races and local matters will be decided Tuesday, including whether South Carolina wants another term for President Donald Trump, and if 18-year incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham can survive a challenge from Democrat Jaime Harrison.
Recent polling shows the race remains close.
First District Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham of Charleston is seeking to defend his seat for the first time by facing a challenge from Republican state Rep. Nancy Mace of Daniel Island.
Voters in Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton and Beaufort counties will decide the race.
Also up for grabs is the entire 170-member General Assembly, all seven of the state's congressional seats and county council races statewide.
The governor's office is not up Tuesday; that's in 2022.
Expect it to be a late night. Under state law, the actual counting of the mailed-in absentee ballots can't begin until Tuesday morning. Each ballot has to be hand-fed into the tabulation computers one at a time.
Here are some other key things to remember:
Dorchester County residents cast their ballots at the Rollins Edwards Community Center in Summerville on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. Brad Nettles/Staff
Personal safety tips
Show your photo ID by holding it up for poll managers to see instead of handing it to them. That way there is no personal exchange.
Poll managers have received COVID-19 training and supplies to clean common surfaces in the polling place. Managers will wear masks, face shields and gloves. Sneeze guards will be placed at check-in stations. Hand sanitizer will be available for voters and poll managers.
You will be offered a cotton swab to make your picks on voting machine touch screens.
Masks are not required in polling places but are encouraged. In August, Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order that states S.C. voters can’t be required to wear masks.
Also new this year: Voters will be asked to sign in on touch pads, rather than by pen.
Voting tips
Your polling place is on your voter registration card. For more information on your status visit the state Election Commission's website covering all election issues at SCVotes.gov
You must be a registered voter already to take part since South Carolina does not allow same-day registration.
If you still have possession of your mail-in absentee ballot, for your picks to be counted, it must be received by your county voter registration office no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday. You can hand-deliver it there.
Important: You cannot turn in a late absentee ballot to your polling place.
Poll worker Shelia Bell holds the door open as voters file into the North Charleston Coliseum to vote absentee Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Where to learn about candidates
In addition to The Post and Courier's season of coverage, an easy online source is a website assembled by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters: vote411.org
On the site, you can plug in your address to find which candidates are running to represent your area.
It includes biographical information on the candidates, as well as position statements.
Where do I vote?
It depends on where you live. Your voting precinct and polling place are determined by your address, and should be listed on your voter registration card.
To check your voting location, go to the State Election Commission website at scvotes.org. On the homepage, click the tab that says “Voters.” Then click “Check your voter registration.”
What should you bring to the polls?
To vote in the election, you will need one of the following forms of photo ID:
S.C. driver’s license
U.S. passport
Federal military ID
S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles ID card
S.C. voter registration card with photo
If you do not have proper photo ID, but are registered to vote, you can cast a provisional ballot.
What can I expect at the polling place?
Most polling places are familiar gathering hubs such as schools and churches. On Election Day, these locations will be surrounded by campaign signs for various political races.
As you approach your polling place, you may find yourself shaking hands with a candidate or talking to campaign staffers. They are allowed to do that right up to the entrance.
Their signs, however, have to be at least 200 feet from the polling entrance.
Inside the polling place, no campaigning is allowed. Candidates and voters must remove any campaign stickers or buttons they are wearing once they enter a polling place.
Voters stand in line to cast absentee ballots at the North Charleston Coliseum on Monday Nov. 2, 2020. Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Under voting rules: "Anyone displaying campaign material within 200 feet of the polling place must be asked to remove the material, cover the material, or otherwise cause the material not to be visible. Campaign material on shirts may be addressed by wearing a jacket, coat, or sweater over the shirt or turning the shirt inside out. The material must remain out of sight while in the polling place and within 200 feet of the polling place."
No one is allowed to intimidate voters or interfere with the election process. If this happens, alert a poll manager immediately.
How long will the count take?
That's an unknown largely because of the record number of absentee ballots this year and what's expected to be a day of high activity.
Counties were allowed to start opening the outer security envelopes of mailed ballots beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday.
The inner envelopes can be opened and the ballots removed and scanned beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
However, no results can be produced or released from those votes until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
When will results be considered official?
The state Election Commission website, scvotes.gov will keep a running count of the races, including by county on election night.
The state's 46 county election bodies have to certify their results by Friday.
The statewide results will be certified Nov. 10 when the winners are tagged as official, though protests and recounts are possible for races that are close.
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Where do I vote? What do I bring? What you need to know on Election Day in South Carolina - Charleston Post Courier
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