Getting Ready for Midterms: How to Vote

Lilly Skinner: Co-Editor|September 22, 2022

Getting Ready for Midterms: How to Vote

Picture this: it’s 2022, the world is a disaster, and you want to do something about it. As nice as Instagram infographics are, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, those of us who are 18 will be able to elect our representatives which is a more important feat. If you are going to be 18 please, I repeat, please vote. However, let’s be honest here: election midterms aren’t usually the midterms high schools are focused on and chances are no one has ever broken down our electoral process. Here are the steps:

 

And for those of you who don’t want to hear me ramble, here’s the spark notes: use your driver’s license and social security number to register to vote at this link: https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/ovr/start.aspx by October 9, and then either vote at a listed early voting place in the 15 days before the election or use this website: https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/voterinquiry/VoterInformationRequest.aspx?PageMode=VoterInfo to find your poll location and vote on election day. 

 

  1. Register to vote:

    • As long as you will be 18 on or before November 8, you are eligible to register to vote. Voter registration is due October 7th if you do it in person, October 11th if you register by mail, and October 9th if you register online. THIS IS IMPORTANT, YOU CANNOT VOTE IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER. South Carolina does not offer same day registration. In order to register, you need a SC Drivers License or ID(you can get an ID without it being a drivers license), a social security number, as well as general information like address and birthday. I recommend trying this step as soon as possible because I know quite a few people who accidentally discovered that their parents had lost their social security card. Here’s the link for online registration: https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/ovr/start.aspx
    • Note that your residence must be updated with the DMV if you have moved and are registering to vote

  2. Know WHERE and WHAT you’re voting for:

  3. Know WHEN you’re voting: 

    • If you can’t vote on election day, that’s completely ok, South Carolina offers both absentee and early voting. No matter how you vote in person, if you vote in person, a photo ID will be required. 
    • Early voting: Early voting is voting in person, at a designated polling place in advance of election day. It’s a great way to skip the lines and be able to take full advantage of your Tuesday off. This year it will occur from October 24-November 8th from 8:30 am to 6:00pm Monday-Saturday. Early voting centers in County are as follows: Baxter-Patrick James Island Library: 1858 S Grimball Road, Charleston, SC 29412, Hollywood/St.Pauls Library: 5130 SC-165, Hollywood, SC 29449, John’s Island Regional Library: 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455, Main Downtown Library: 68 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401, Mt. Pleasant Seacoast Church: 750 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, North Charleston Convention Center: 5000 Coliseum Dr, North Charleston, SC 29418, West Ashley Seacoast Church: 2049 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407. I took the liberty of mapping it out and the North Charleston convention center is a mere 6 minutes away from school. That’s less than the time 1 parking spot mistake costs you. 
    • Absentee: Absentee voting is when you request and return a ballot by mail (or in person) and do not vote at an official polling station. It is ideal for those who are going to college out of state. However, in the state of South Carolina in order to vote absentee you do need to be able to prove that you cannot attend early voting because of a job, being out of town, taking medical care of a family member etc. In order to vote absentee, your ballot request must be received by October 28, and you must return your ballot either in person or by mail by November 8. A photo ID must be presented with your ballot and you must have a witness signature. Note that in the past absentee ballots have not arrived in time to use them for voting, so if you want to make sure your vote counts and are able to, early voting is the best choice.
    • Election day voting: Of course you can’t go wrong with the classic Tuesday vote. Polling stations will be open from 7 am to 7 pm. Anyone in line at 7pm will be allowed to vote. 

  4. Research the candidates: 

    • Boring, I know, but necessary. Please don’t vote for someone solely because of the party they belong to. Upon investigating their agenda, you might realize that your politics don’t exactly align with your parents. Also, know which candidates are on your ballot. The midterms include many local elections which are more important than you think. I’ll try to write an article breaking down the candidates and elections, but I’d recommend doing your own research

  5. Rock your I voted sticker and know that even if the world is a disaster, it isn’t your fault because you did everything in your power to stop the trainwreck.