How to Vote in South Carolina’s Democratic Primary

Here’s what to know for voters in Saturday’s Democratic primary.

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A voting sign outside a polling station in Piedmont, S.C., on Saturday.

South Carolina holds open primaries, so anyone registered to vote in the state can head to the polls on Saturday to participate in the first official Democratic primary of the year.

Registered Republican and independent voters who choose to vote on Saturday won’t have to change their party affiliations, but they won’t be able to vote in the Republican primary, which will take place on Feb. 24.

It’s too late for new voters to register for the primary, though. Residents can check their registration status online by entering some personal information on the election commission’s website.

When to vote

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the state, and anyone still in line at 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

If you requested and received an absentee ballot but haven’t put it in the mail, you can still deliver it yourself to a local election office until 7 p.m. You can find the address of the office that is nearest to you online here. If you’ve already mailed your absentee ballot and want to make sure it will arrive before the deadline, you can track its status online here.

Where to vote

You can find your polling place by entering some personal information online here.

What to bring

South Carolina requires voters to show a photo ID at the polls before they vote. There are a few different kinds of identification that election officials will accept, including driver’s licenses, passports and voter ID cards with photos. If you forget to bring a photo ID but have a voter registration card without a photo, you can cast a provisional ballot. The provisional ballot will be counted in the election if you present a photo ID to election officials before Thursday, Feb. 8, when the results of the primary will be certified.

Who’s on the ballot?

Only three candidates will appear on the Democratic primary ballot on Saturday: President Joe Biden and his two challengers, Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota and the self-help author Marianne Williamson. You can find a complete sample ballot online here.