Midpoint check-in: Beaufort County voter turnout climbs as early voting surges
As early voting reaches its midpoint, turnout in Beaufort County has risen to about 33,000 residents, with Monday marking the highest single-day participation since early voting began last week.
Early voting is open 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. So far, about 26% of registered voters have cast their ballots, said Marie Smalls, director of the county’s board of voter registration and elections.
Statewide, early voting has surged past previous records, with more than 735,000 South Carolinians already casting ballots — surpassing the total early voting turnout from the 2022 general election. Smalls noted that it’s challenging to compare with past years for the county, as this is only the second time South Carolina has offered early voting since 2022. However, she added, “The second week is usually a little higher than the first week, so we’re going to see if that trend continues.”
Early voting patterns have shown the longest lines from 7 to 8 a.m., 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 added.
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.
