Want to avoid long lines during early voting in Beaufort County? Here’s the best time to vote
With long lines forming at early voting polls, voters in Beaufort County may find that casting their ballot in the late afternoon will save them the most time.
Early voting in the county is available from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, from Oct. 21 to Nov. 2., according to the county’s website. As of the third day of early voting in Beaufort County, 10% of registered voters — or about 12,600 residents — have already cast their ballots, said Marie Smalls, the director of the board of voter registration and elections for Beaufort County.
In South Carolina, early voting saw a record-breaking turnout on opening day, according to the state’s election committee. However, for the county, Smalls said it is challenging to make direct comparisons to previous years since this is only the second time the state has offered early voting since 2022.
“We kind of expected a high turnout, and I think for Beaufort County, it’s probably a little bit higher than expected,” Smalls said. “But I’m so happy that it is what it is.”
Early morning hours — around 7 to 8 a.m. — typically see the longest lines, Smalls said. Midday tends to offer a break, with shorter wait times, though lines pick up again in the early afternoon. Residents who are looking to avoid crowds should go to poll locations around late afternoons, particularly from 5 to 6 p.m., she said.
Polling locations specifically in Bluffton and Hilton Head have seen a steady turnout, Smalls said, with average wait times on Monday reaching no longer than 1 to 1.5 hours but decreasing since then.
Beaufort County offers four early voting centers:
Beaufort (Main office): 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
Bluffton (Bluffton Recreation Center — Gymnasium): 61A Ulmer Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
Hilton Head (USCB — Hilton Head Campus, Room 115): 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
St. Helena Branch Library: 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Smalls encourages voters to check their sample ballots and verify their Election Day polling locations through the MyscVOTES website. To vote, residents will need to bring a qualifying ID, which may include a South Carolina driver’s license, motor vehicles ID card, voter registration card with photo, federal military ID or U.S. passport, according to the state’s election commission website.
She also emphasized that strict measures are in place to prevent voter fraud, and local election officials are confident in the integrity of the system.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 10:56 AM.
