Early Voting Sets Records in South Carolina

Beaufort County This Week

STORY 1
From The SC DAILY GAZETTE

Early voting in South Carolina is already smashing records.

About 125,900 people voted Monday, the opening day of early voting for the general election, according to a news release from the State Election Commission.

That’s a huge leap from the one-day high set on Nov. 4, 2022, when 70,100 people voted. That was the Friday before Election Day.

“We are thrilled to see voters embracing the convenience of early voting, and we are anticipating a significant turnout for this election,” said Howard Knapp, director of the State Election Commission, in the release.

Those voting Monday included members of South Carolina’s congressional delegation: Reps. Jim Clyburn, Nancy Mace and Joe Wilson, who are seeking re-election, all announced they voted on day one of early voting.

This is the first presidential election in South Carolina with true, no-excuse-needed early voting under a law passed in May 2022. Turnout tends to be higher in presidential elections than in midterms.

More than 1,500 people had cast their ballots before lunchtime on the first day of early voting in Beaufort County on Monday, Oct. 21.

Early voting underway in Beaufort County

According to a press release from Beaufort County, early voting is a two-week no-excuse voting period. Any voter can visit an early-voting location in Beaufort County and vote like they would at their polling place on Election Day.

Races on the ballot for November 5 elections include federal, state, county and other local candidates, in addition to a statewide amendment question and local questions.

The early voting dates and hours are as follows:

Monday, Oct. 21 – Saturday, Nov. 2 (Closed Sunday, Oct. 27).

8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

There are four (4) Early Voting Centers in Beaufort County:

• Main Voter Registration Office, 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort.
• St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island.
• Bluffton Recreation Center Gymnasium, 61A Ulmer Road, Bluffton.
• USC Beaufort Hilton Head, Room 115, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island/

Story 2

From WSAV

Beaufort County is hosting a public meeting Tuesday, October 29, for the S-234 & S-457 (Salem Road) Sidewalk Project, one of the 14 priority locations as approved in the 2018 One Cent Sales Tax Referendum. The meeting will be held in County Council Chambers, Administration Building, 100 Ribaut Road. (map).

Beaufort County staff will present the proposed design for the 8′ sidewalk on Salem Road from SC 170 (Robert Smalls Parkway) to Old Salem Road. The county says the sidewalk improves pedestrian and bicyclist safety by providing a separate facility from the roadway.

The meeting will be conducted as an informal, drop-in format. There will be displays that depict the proposed design, and representatives from Beaufort County Engineering, J. Bragg Consulting, and Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering will be available to discuss the proposed improvements, answer questions, and listen to feedback. No formal presentation will be made.