Voters must register by Oct. 4
Presidential contest between Obama, McCain expected to draw high turnout
COLUMBIA — The 800,000 South Carolinians who are eligible to vote but haven't registered have until Oct. 4 to sign up and participate in one of the country's most anticipated elections.
The State Election Commission is holding a voter registration drive today at the Statehouse, said Marci Andino, the commission's executive director.
Click here to check your registration and get other information about registering to vote in South Carolina at the State Election Commission's voter registration page
"We're trying to do everything we can to avoid confusion on Nov. 4," she said.
GOP Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama are expected to draw high turnout and a record number of new voters to the polls on Election Day.
Andino said twice the number of voters, 122,000, registered during the first six months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2004. That's triple the number in 2000, she said.
Out-of-county address changes must be made by Oct. 4.
In-county changes can be made through Election Day, although Andino said voters are encouraged to make updates as soon as possible.
If you go
The State Election Commission will hold a voter education event in Columbia from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today on the Statehouse steps off Main and Gervais streets and in the rotunda.
Andino noted that voters also can use absentee ballots. The commission's Web site details a dozen reasons that voters can request an absentee ballot, including travel, a work schedule and religious reasons. Voters can request an absentee ballot through their county voter registration office.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said Democrats turned out in record numbers, 532,151, for the party's presidential primary in January, compared to 184,288 in 2004.
"We have already registered so many new voters this year but we do know there are lots of Democrats out there who are not registered," Fowler said.
"I can't imagine how bad people will feel if they wake up the morning after the election and Democratic candidates have lost by only a few votes and they have not registered."
Rob Godfrey, communications director of the state GOP, said despite the record number of Democrats who voted in the presidential primary, Republicans outnumbered them about 2-1 in the June primaries.
"Republicans, especially with the ticket we have, McCain and Palin, are fired up over renewing the Republican lease on the White House," Godfrey said.
Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 6 comment(s)
Posted by number1volsfan1 on September 3, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The government should start planning for the mass exodus of liberals to Canada on November 5th when McCain/Palin win the election.
Start hiring additional border/security guards now to avoid the north-bound traffic jam!
Posted by Lovely_One on September 3, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All politicians contradict themselves. It is what they do. See McCain does it here:
http://www.brasschecktv.com:80/page/325....
I thought someone would find this interesting!
Posted by guidedbystewart on September 3, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jane,
You say that all the liberals do is name call, yet your buddy RW is one worst name callers that posts on this site, hell, he wanted to take a guillotine to Johnq2 head yesterday and admitted to being a fascist. Now who is the real psychopath?
Posted by SCHoser on September 3, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Newt sounds just like a typical democrat nowadays. Can't win, so let's whine, call those who don't agree with you nasty names and do nothing! To answer the question about Obama-what is this change he is talking about? The change he is talking about is what jingles in your pocket, because that is all you will have left if Obama has his way. Thanks again Newt-you are a classic classless democrat!
Posted by guidedbystewart on September 3, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RW, as I have said before, I am heterosexual male, but like usual, you continually express your ignorance on a regular basis making yourself look bad. You rarely ever have anything constructive to say…..
Typical RW comment;
GBS you are fairy blah blah blah blah commie, blah blah blah blah Barack is a Muslim blah blah blah blah LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jane, RW regularly tries to bait liberals, and does not just responding in self defense, just so he can start his regular name calling. It is almost to the point of being self masturbatory, something I hear you know too well.
Posted by captivated on September 4, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought this article was about voter registration. No matter what party you favor, it is your right to vote so if you haven't registered, please do so soon.