Offices open today for absentee voting
Increasingly heavy turnout leads to long waits
Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier
Metro Voters stand in line as they wait to vote an Absentee Ballot Tuesday, at the Charleston County Election Warehouse in North Charleston.
Lowcountry residents voting absentee can drop by their county election office from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today and during business hours Monday. However, the waits at the absentee polls may be as long — or longer — than those at the polls on Election Day. The following are the office locations and contacts.
Berkeley County: 6 Belt Drive in Moncks Corner, 723-3800 ext. 4056 or 719-4056.
Charleston County: 4367 Headquarters Road in North Charleston, 744-8683.
Dorchester County: 201 Johnston St., Waggoner Building, St. George, 563-0071 or 832-0132.
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Lowcountry election offices will hold special hours today for those wanting to cast absentee ballots in person. The offices will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This week's absentee voting has been increasingly heavy, with waits of more than two hours not uncommon. Election officials urge those who plan to vote absentee in person to be patient.
Those in line by 1 p.m. will be allowed to cast ballots, even if the election office must remain open until 3 p.m. or later to process the last voter. Absentee voting in person will continue during regular business hours Monday, ending at 5 p.m.
Those who received absentee ballots must ensure that they are returned to their county election offices by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Election Day.
State law lists 17 reasons that a person can vote absentee, including being over 65 years old, having physical disabilities, working or having out-of-town plans on Election Day.
In fact, election officials rarely question the reason as long as the voter is willing to sign that the reason applies to him or her. Berkeley County Election and Voter Registration Director Wanda Farley said recently she suspects much of that county's absentee voting has essentially been early voting.
"They're not necessarily lying. It's just one of those colorful truths," she said of some voters' reasons, adding, "It's my job to vote people. The last thing I want to do is not allow people to vote."
State Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, has proposed legislation to allow early voting, but it has died in the Statehouse. Ford said he's not sure if he will try again with the bill next year.
Reach Robert Behre at rbehre@postandcourier.com or 937-5771.
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