Over a third of South Carolina eligible voters cast early ballots

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Election Day is drawing near, but according to state figures, more than a third of eligible South Carolina voters have already cast their ballots.

According to scvotes.gov as of Friday morning, 1,216,968 voters cast their ballots early out of the 3,444,370 registered South Carolina voters.

Greenville County alone accounts for about 10% of the total number of ballots cast in the state every presidential election, according to County Registration and Elections Director, Conway Belangia.

Belangia said there were already more than 120,000 early ballots cast as of 4 p.m. Friday and he usually sees around 270,000 ballots cast from Greenville County voters, out of the more than 300,000 eligible county voters.

“That means we’re knocking down almost half the voters of this early-voting process,” said Belangia.

This is the first time South Carolina has allowed no-excuse early voting during a Presidential Election cycle. The first time no-excuse, early-voting was allowed was during the 2022 Midterm Elections cycle.

High turnout also means long lines of voters hoping to cast their ballots without having to wait in election day lines.

Macy Fitzgerald, a Greenville County resident, went back to her car just minutes after getting out to vote early at McAlister Square.

“The line was too long,” said Fitzgerald. She said she plans to comeback on Tuesday, hoping the lines are shorter.

“Definitely don’t be scared to vote. It’s important to have a say in the government,” Fitzgerald said.

Belangia said the standing-line wait times averaged between 40 to 60 minutes in McAlister Square, Greenville County’s most visited precinct. The wait times are even longer when it comes to curbside voting, which he said averaged about 2 hours.

Some voters said they didn’t let the lines scare them.

“I was in line for an hour-and-a-half,” said Karen Cooley, an Anderson County voter. “Your vote counts. Everybody’s vote counts. It’s the biggest privilege we have.”

“Honestly, for me, it’s the only time I had off, but the line was worth it though,” said Erica Stroud, a Greenville County voter who said she is unable to vote during Election Day. “The wait was worth it.”

Even first-time voter Angely Rodriguez-Brand, 18, of Greenville County, said she waited in the lines because getting her voice heard was important to her.

“It felt great to be able to exercise that right for sure. It’s been something that’s been a longtime coming,” said Rodriguez-Brand.

Angely’s father, Bryan Rodriguez, said he stood by with his daughter because “it just feels like we’re a part of something and we’re a part of something bigger than us.”

Precincts open on Saturday for the last day of early-voting beginning at 8:30 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

Belangia said as long as you’re in line at a precincts by 5:59 p.m., you will be allowed to cast a ballot.