SC's Paper-Based Voting System

South Carolina’s old voting system was implemented in 2004 and is reaching the end of its expected useful life of 15 years. Replacement provided the state with a dependable system for years to come and has greatly enhanced the security and resilience of our election process. Having a paper record of each voter’s voted ballot will add an additional layer of security as it allows for audits of paper ballots to verify vote totals.

The ExpressVote ballot-marking system from Election Systems & Software (ES&S).

For some municipal elections beginning in October of 2019 and all elections beginning in 2020.

The ExpressVote is a ballot-marking device (BMD). A BMD is a device that helps voters mark a paper ballot more accurately and efficiently. A voter’s choices are presented on a screen in a similar manner to a voting machine. However, a BMD does not record the voter’s choices into its memory. Instead, it allows the voter to mark the choices on-screen and, when the voter is done, prints the ballot selections. The resulting printed paper ballot is then either hand counted or counted using an optical scanner/tabulator.

To vote on the ExpressVote, you will show your Photo ID, confirm your address, and sign the poll list as normal. You will then be given a blank ballot and be directed to an ExpressVote. You insert the ballot into the ExpressVote to begin marking your ballot. After making your selections, you will print your ballot. You will then have the opportunity to review your selections printed on the ballot before inserting it into a ballot scanner. The scanner tabulates the votes on your ballot and feeds the ballot into a locked ballot box. The paper ballots are then used to verify and audit election results.

Ballot marking devices (BMDs) offer many of the benefits of touchscreen voting machines while also providing the assurance and security of a paper ballot.

• BMDs are fully accessible for people with disabilities allowing every South Carolinian to vote independently using the same equipment. Hand-marked paper systems are not accessible and require voters with disabilities to vote with assistance or on a device different from other voters.
• BMDs prevent voters from overvoting (selecting more candidates than allowed). Hand-marked paper ballots can be overvoted. Election officials are unable to determine voter intent in an overvoted office leading to the voter’s vote not being counted.
• BMDs prevent stray marks. Unintended marks on a paper ballot can cause overvotes or votes to be cast differently than intended.
• BMDs prevent improper marks. Voters do not always mark paper ballots by filling in the oval as instructed. It is common for voters to circle a candidate’s name, make a check mark, or even cross through a name. Improper marks require election officials to try to interpret these marks to determine voter intent. Ultimately, marking the ballot differently than instructed can cause a voter’s vote to not be counted.
• BMDs reminds voters if they have undervoted (missed an office or voted for fewer candidates than allowed).
• BMDs offer the easiest transition for voters. South Carolinians have been voting on touchscreens for the past 15 years. Voting on the ExpressVote will offer a familiar experience with the added assurance of verifying their vote on a paper ballot.

Approximately $51 million. The system includes hardware, software, implementation, training and support.

The award was made after a six-month procurement process overseen by the S.C. Department of Administration and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. An evaluation panel made up of the five members of the State Election Commission was charged with considering the proposals and choosing the system that was most advantageous to the citizens of South Carolina. The goal was to find a system that is secure, accurate, accessible, auditable, transparent, reliable and easy for poll managers and voters to use.

The panel considered a total of seven proposals from three voting system providers. Each vendor submitted proposals for systems that feature hand-marked ballots and ballot-marking devices. Over the course of six weeks, the panel studied proposals and participated in hands-on demonstrations. The panel was advised throughout the process by state and private cybersecurity experts, advocates for voters with disabilities, experts on accessible technology, national voting system technology consultants, and county and state election administrators. After deliberation and independent scoring by panel members, the panel unanimously selected the ExpressVote voting system as being the most advantageous to the voters of South Carolina.

• Cybersecurity experts from the State Election Commission; S.C. Department of Administration; and Soteria (a private cybersecurity firm).
• Accessibility experts from S.C. Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities; S.C. Assistive Technology Program, University of South Carolina School of Medicine; S.C. Commission for the Blind; and S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department.
• Election administrators from the State Election Commission and county boards of voter registration and elections.
• Freeman, Craft, McGregor Group (a national voting system technology consulting firm).

In addition to the summary of votes printed in text on your ballot, the ballot marking device also prints several barcodes. None of the barcodes include any information about the voter. One barcode includes a number that identifies the ballot style (i.e., which offices are on the ballot). The other barcodes include numbers that identify the selection made by the voter in each contest. When the voter inserts the ballot into the scanner, the votes are tabulated by reading the barcodes. The barcode provides the same information to the scanner as do the oval positions on a hand-marked paper ballot.

Election officials test ballot marking devices and scanners prior to every election to ensure they are tabulating correctly. Election officials also audit paper ballots to ensure that the scanner’s count of the barcodes matches up with the count of the written word.

Get Your Sample Ballot

Photo ID

When voting in person, you will be asked to show one of the following current and valid Photo IDs:

• SC Driver's License
  • Includes standard license and REAL ID
  • Includes standard ID card and REAL ID
  • Includes SC Concealed Weapons Permit
  • Includes all Department of Defense Photo IDs and Veterans Affairs Benefits Card
  • Includes US Passport ID Card

  Where to Vote

  When to Vote

  Polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

  Absentee Voting

  Absentee voting allows qualified voters to cast a ballot by mail prior to Election Day.

  Check Your Vote

  Check the status of your provisional ballot.

  Check the status of your absentee ballot.

  Straight Party Voting

  Straight Party is Optional

  Whether to vote "Straight Party" is the first choice a voter must make on a General Election ballot. Voting straight party is optional. Each political party that has nominated a candidate appearing on the voter's ballot is represented in the straight party selection area.

  Straight Party Voting on Voting Machines

  If a party is selected under straight party, every candidate of that party is automatically selected throughout the ballot. As the voter advances through the ballot, the voter has the option of changing his vote for any particular office to a candidate of another party, a petition candidate, or a write-in candidate (also known as "crossover voting"). To change your vote for any particular office, simply touch the candidate of choice for that office, and the candidate previously selected will be automatically deselected.

  Straight Party Voting on Optical Scan (Paper) Ballots

  If the oval beside a party is shaded in under straight party, every candidate of that party will automatically receive a vote when that ballot is scanned unless it is overridden by a "crossover vote." After shading in the straight party, a voter can override his straight party selection for a particular office by shading in the oval beside a candidate for that office.

  Straight Party Doesn't Cover Everything

  Voters should be aware that when voting straight party, no selection is made for nonpartisan offices and questions. Also, your party may not have nominated candidates for all offices. In these cases, these contests must be voted individually. As always, voters should carefully review their choices before casting their ballot.

  Write-in Votes

  Write-in votes are NOT allowed in political party primaries or for President and Vice-president. Ballots in all other elections and for all other offices feature a write-in space at the end of the list of candidates.

  Casting a write-in vote on a touchscreen voting machine:

  A candidate's name may be written in by touching the "write-in" space under the appropriate office. When the "write-in" space is touched, a "write-in" screen appears featuring a touchscreen keyboard. The voter types the name of the candidate using the keyboard and presses "accept" when finished. When accept is touched, the screen returns to the ballot, and the candidate's name that was entered will appear under the appropriate office.

  Casting a write-in vote on a paper ballot:

  A candidate's name may be hand-written in the space provided under the appropriate office. Voters may use a pen or pencil. The use of stickers or stamps to place a candidate's name on a ballot is not permitted. The candidate's name must be hand-written by the voter or person providing authorized assistance. After the voter writes the candidate's name in the space provided, the voter must also darken the oval next to the write-in line.

  Failsafe Voting

  Failsafe voting is designed to allow voters who have moved but failed to update their address to update their address on election day and vote. Failsafe voting is available to voters in the following situations:

  • Voter moves from one address to another within the same precinct.
  • Voter moves from one precinct to another within the same county.
  • Voter moves from one South Carolina county to another within 30 days of an election.
  • Voter moves from one state to another after the deadline to register to vote in a Presidential election in the new state of residence.

  Voter moves from one address to another within the same precinct.

  Voter may vote a full ballot at the precinct after completing a change of address form.

  Voter moves from one precinct to another within the same county.

  Voter has two options:

  1. Go to previous polling place and vote a limited, failsafe ballot containing only federal, statewide, and countywide offices. The voter's updated address is recorded on failsafe ballot envelope.
  2. Go to voter registration office, complete a change of address form, and vote a full ballot.

  Voter moves from one South Carolina county to another within 30 days of an election

  Voter has two options:

  1. Go to polling place in previous county of residence and vote a limited, failsafe ballot containing only federal, statewide, and countywide offices. The voter's updated address is recorded on failsafe ballot envelope.
  2. Go to voter registration office in current county of residence, complete a change of address form, and vote a full ballot.

  Voter moves from one state to another after the deadline to register to vote in a Presidential election in the new state of residence.

  The voter may vote an absentee ballot containing only President. The voter should contact the appropriate absentee voting office in his previous state and county of residence. (42 U.S.C. § 1973aa-1(e))

  Failsafe Voting in Municipal Elections

  Failsafe voting also applies to municipal elections, with one exception:

  A voter must have resided within the municipality for 30 days or more prior to the election to be eligible to vote. So if a voter has moved from outside a specific municipality to inside that municipality and the move occurred after the 30 day mark; failsafe does not apply.