The Laurens County Registration and Elections Office processes and updates all information related for our voters. The County's files are part of an internal interactive statewide computerized voter registration database. The department trains all election personnel, provides election materials, and performs all technical functions on the electronic voting machines for Laurens County elections. These elections include federal, state, county, school district trustees, municipal and special elections. The department also educates the public about the elections process and encourages the public to participate in all elections.

MISSION STATEMENT - The mission of the Laurens County Registration and Elections Office is to conduct elections according to Federal and State laws; to provide every eligible citizen with the opportunity to register to vote; participate in fair and impartial elections; and have the assurance that their votes will count. This mission shall be achieved by continually reviewing and improving the voter registration and election process. All board members and staff personnel are dedicated to maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the election process. We believe in the importance of each citizen’s right to vote.

NEW LEGISLATION - PHOTO ID - http://www.scvotes.org
 

**VIEW FLYER HERE**

As of January 1, 2013, you will be asked to show one of the following Photo IDs at your polling place:

S.C. Driver's License

ID Card issued by S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles

S.C. Voter Registration Card with Photo

Federal Military ID

U.S. Passport

 

HOW TO GET A PHOTO ID - If you do not currently have one of the Photo IDs above, you can make your voting experience as fast and easy as possible by getting one free of charge:

-          Registered voters can get a voter registration card with a photo from their county voter registration and elections office by

               simply providing their date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security Number.

 

-          Get a DMV ID card at a local DMV office. Check with DMV for required documents.

 

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PHOTO ID ON ELECTION DAY - If you have a reasonable impediment to obtaining Photo ID, you may vote a provisional ballot after showing your non-photo voter registration card. A reasonable impediment is any valid reason, beyond your control, which created an obstacle to obtaining Photo ID. Some examples include:

-          Religious objection to being photographed

-          Disability or illness

-          Work schedule

-          Lack of transportation

-          Lack of birth certificate

-          Family responsibilities

-          Election within short time frame of implementation of Photo ID law (January 1, 2013)

-          Any other obstacle you find reasonable

 

To vote under the reasonable impediment exception:

1.)        Present your current, non-photo registration card at the polling place

2.)        Sign an affidavit stating why you could not obtain a Photo ID

3.)        Cast a provisional ballot that will be counted unless the county election commission has reason to believe your affidavit is false.

 

If you do NOT have Photo ID and do NOT have a reasonable impediment to obtaining one, or you simply forgot to bring it with you to the polls, you may still vote a provisional ballot. However, for your vote to be counted, you must provide one of the Photo IDs to the county election commission prior to certification of the election (usually Thursday or Friday after the election).

 

 ABSENTEE VOTING - The Laurens County Registration & Elections Commission is responsible for facilitating absentee voting for all Federal, State, County, and Municipal elections within Laurens County.

To vote absentee, you must be a registered voter and meet one (1) of the following criteria:

1. A Member of the Uniformed Services on Active Duty (UOCAVA)
2. A Merchant Marine (UOCAVA)
3. An Accompanying Spouse or Dependent (UOCAVA)
4. A U. S. Citizen Permanently Residing Outside the United States (UOCAVA)
5. A U. S. Citizen Temporarily Residing outside the United States (UOCAVA)
6. Disabled
7. Students, their spouses and dependents residing with them
8. For reasons of employment, will not be able to vote on Election Day
9. Government employees, their spouses and dependents residing with them, who are out of their county of residence on Election Day
10. Persons on vacation
11. Persons who will be serving as jurors in a state or federal court on Election Day
12. Persons admitted to the hospital as emergency patients on day of election or at least four days prior to the election.
13. Electors with a death or funeral in the family within 3 days before the election
14. Persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial
15. Persons attending sick or physically disabled persons
16. Certified poll watchers and poll managers, county registration board members and staff, and county election commission members and staff working on Election Day
17. Over 65 years of age (Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act)

Voting Absentee In-person - The fastest and easiest way to vote absentee is to appear in-person at our office and cast your ballot on our voting machines. This is usually available starting about 3-weeks prior to an election. We will always make a post on this website when in-person absentee voting is available for any given election.  The steps necessary for voting absentee are as follows:

Step One:       Request - The voter appears at our office and requests to vote absentee. The voter will be required to show either his/her Laurens County voter registration card, SC driver’s license, or SC DMV issued ID card.

Step Two:       Application- The voter will be given an Application for an Absentee Ballot that will need to be completed and returned to office staff. On the application, the voter must disclose the reason he/she is voting absentee.

Step Three:     Voting on Machine - A staff member will guide the voter to a voting machine and activate a ballot. The voter will be able to cast his/her ballot on the machine in the privacy of a voting booth.

 Voting Absentee By Mail - Persons unable to vote in-person may choose to vote absentee by mail instead. Because the ballot must be mailed to the voter, this process takes a minimum of four days for the ballot to be mailed to the voter, voted, and mailed back to our office. The steps necessary for voting absentee by mail are as follows:

Step One:       Request - The voter must submit a request to our office to let us know that he or she is interested in voting absentee in a specific election. The request can be made anytime during the calendar year in which the election will be held. The request should include the following:

1. Voter’s Name
2. Voter’s Registration Number
3. Voter’s Mailing Address
4. Voter's Phone Number
5. Name and Date of the Election in which he/she wishes to vote absentee
6. Voter's E-mail Address (Optional)

The request can be made by using any of the following methods:

• In-person: Voter makes request in-person at our office.
• By Mail: A letter or note with the above information mailed to Laurens County Registration & Elections PO Box 769, Laurens, SC  29360. The voter must sign this request.
• By Fax: A letter or note with the above information faxed to Laurens County Registration & Elections at 864-983-2529. The voter must sign this request.

Step Two:       Application For An Absentee Ballot - We will send the voter an Application for an Absentee Ballot after we have received and processed their request. The application is usually sent to the voter by the same method the voter used to deliver their request.  The voter must completely fill out the application and return it to our office. The deadline for receiving the completed application is 5:00 PM the Friday before the Tuesday election.

Step Three:     Absentee Ballot - Upon receipt of the completed Application for an Absentee Ballot from the voter, the application will be verified and processed. A ballot will then be sent to the voter via First Class Mail to the address the voter listed on his/her application as soon as they become available. Ballots cannot be picked-up from our office, all ballots must be mailed. Instructions for properly completing the ballot are enclosed in the ballot package. Our office must receive the completed ballot no later than 7:00 PM the day of the election. The voter cannot return the ballot to any other location (i.e. at their voting precinct).

 

Name of Election	Date of Election	Deadline to Return State Absentee Form (Absentee By Mail)	Deadline to Return Absentee Ballot (Absentee By Mail)	Deadline for Voting Absentee In-Person
Democratic & Republican Primaries	June 12, 2012	5:00 PM June 8, 2012	7:00 PM June 12, 2012	5:00 PM June 7, 2012
Primaries Runoff Elections	June 26,2012	5:00PM June 22, 2012	7:00PM June 25,2012	5:00 PM June 25, 2012
General Election	November 6, 2012	5:00PM November 9, 2012	7:00PM November 5, 2012	5:00PM November 5, 2012

Military & Overseas Citizens (UOCAVA)

Military & Overseas Citizens can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), which is also known as Standard Form 76, to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot. You can send this application to us by  fax, or postal mail. Please see our contact information at the bottom of this site. This form entitles the voter to receive ballots automatically for all elections he/she is eligible to vote in the calendar year the application is received. Federal law requires absentee ballots to be mailed to military and overseas citizens at least 45 days prior to any federal election. If possible, please put your email address on the form so we can email your ballot to you.

Military & Overseas Citizens can use a Federal Write In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) ONLY IF they have already requested an absentee ballot and it has not yet arrived.

For general information on voter registration and absentee voting by Military & Overseas Citizens visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website http://www.fvap.gov/  

Lynne West, Director

 

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: HISTORIC COURTHOUSE - PUBLIC SQUARE PO BOX 769 LAURENS, SC  29360 FAX - 864-983-2529 EMAIL:  lwest@co.laurens.sc.us