Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3; polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting runs Oct. 19-31, with four sites in Charleston. County elections office: 843-744-8683.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections and the South Carolina State Election Commission. This guide is nonpartisan and makes no endorsements.
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7 p.m., you can vote. Charleston voters in Charleston County are served by the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections. Voters on Daniel Island and in Cainhoy are in Berkeley County and are served by that county’s elections office.
Who to call
- Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections: 843-744-8683 (744-VOTE), 4340 Corporate Road, North Charleston, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Vote@CharlestonCounty.org
- Your polling place and sample ballot: scVOTES voter lookup
- Berkeley County voters (Daniel Island, Cainhoy): your county office, on the state’s county offices page
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Sunday, Oct. 4 | Registration deadline (passed) |
| Monday, Oct. 19 | Early voting opens |
| Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. | Deadline to return an absentee ballot application |
| Saturday, Oct. 31 | Last day of early voting |
| Tuesday, Nov. 3 | Election Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; absentee ballots due at the elections office by 7 p.m. |
Charleston County School District schools are closed on Election Day.
On the ballot countywide
Along with state and federal races, Charleston County voters will decide the 2026 Transportation Sales Tax referendum. If approved, it would continue the existing 2004 half-penny sales tax and raise about $4.25 billion over 25 years for roads, public transit and greenspace, according to the county’s announcement. The county holds a final virtual information meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Your sample ballot, from the scVOTES lookup, lists every race and question for your address.
Early voting
Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is closed Sunday, Oct. 25. Any registered Charleston County voter can use any center. The county’s early voting page lists seven; these are the closest to Charleston neighborhoods:
| Center | Address | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Morris Brown AME Church | 13 Morris St. | Peninsula |
| Greater Macedonia AME Church | 725 Savage Road | West Ashley |
| James Island Baxter-Patrick Library | 1858 S. Grimball Road | James Island |
| St. John’s Episcopal Church | 3673 Maybank Highway | Johns Island |
| Charleston County elections office | 4340 Corporate Road, North Charleston |
The other two are Seacoast Church, 750 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, and St. Paul’s Hollywood Library, 5130 S.C. 165, Hollywood. Curbside voting is offered at every center. Your Election Day polling place does not offer early voting.
On Election Day
Vote at your assigned polling place. Find it with the state’s polling place lookup or the county’s voting and polling locations map. Absentee ballots are not accepted at polling places.
Photo ID
Bring one unexpired photo ID:
- South Carolina driver’s license
- South Carolina DMV ID card, including a concealed weapons permit
- South Carolina voter registration card with photo
- U.S. passport or passport card
- federal military ID
No photo ID? The county issues free voter photo IDs at 4340 Corporate Road, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. A voter without one can cast a provisional ballot after signing an affidavit that a reasonable impediment kept them from getting an ID. A voter who forgot an ID votes a provisional ballot.
Absentee voting by mail
South Carolina allows mail voting only for voters with a qualifying reason, the State Election Commission says. Common reasons include a physical disability, being 65 or older, and work that keeps you from voting during all early voting and Election Day hours. The state’s absentee page has the full list.
- Request an application by phone (843-744-8683), in person at 4340 Corporate Road, or by letter with your name, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Return the application by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
- Vote the ballot, sign the voter’s oath and have a witness 18 or older sign and print their name and address. No notary is needed.
- Return it by mail, no postage needed, or in person at the elections office or an early voting center (photo ID required). It must arrive by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. The county asks voters to mail ballots at least a week before Election Day.
Registering for future elections
Register online at scVOTES.gov with a South Carolina driver’s license or DMV ID, or by mail, fax or email. Mailed forms must be postmarked at least 30 days before an election. If you move within the county, update your address before you vote. A person with a felony conviction can register again once the full sentence, including probation or parole, is complete.
Results
Results are unofficial until certified. We report results only from the county’s and the State Election Commission’s own pages.
What this means for you
- Morris Brown AME, Greater Macedonia AME and the James Island library are the early voting centers inside the city.
- Bring a photo ID, or get a free one at the elections office first.
- Voting absentee? Mail it by Oct. 27 to be safe.
Related guides: schools, who to call at City Hall and public notices.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I vote early in Charleston?
Charleston County’s early voting centers in the city are Morris Brown AME Church, 13 Morris St.; Greater Macedonia AME Church, 725 Savage Road; and the James Island Baxter-Patrick Library, 1858 S. Grimball Road. St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3673 Maybank Highway, serves Johns Island. Any county voter can use any center.
When is early voting in Charleston County?
For the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sunday, Oct. 25.
What ID do I need to vote in South Carolina?
An unexpired photo ID: a South Carolina driver’s license, a DMV ID card, a South Carolina voter registration card with photo, a passport or passport card, or a federal military ID. Charleston County issues free photo IDs at 4340 Corporate Road, North Charleston.
Can I still register to vote for the Nov. 3 election?
No. The registration deadline for the 2026 general election was Sunday, Oct. 4, for online, fax and email registration, with mailed forms postmarked by Oct. 5.
Where do Daniel Island residents vote?
Daniel Island and Cainhoy are in Berkeley County, so voters there are registered with Berkeley County’s elections office and use Berkeley County polling places and early voting centers.
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