2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 7 - Elections › Chapter 13 - Conduct Of Elections › Section 7-13-710. Proof of right to vote; signing poll list; comparison of signatures; provisional ballot; purpose of requirement.

(A) When a person presents himself to vote, he shall produce a valid and current:
(1) South Carolina driver's license; or
(2) other form of identification containing a photograph issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles; or
(3) passport; or
(4) military identification containing a photograph issued by the federal government; or
(5) South Carolina voter registration card containing a photograph of the voter pursuant to Section 7-5-675.
(B) After presentation of the required identification described in subsection (A), the elector's name must be checked by one of the managers on the margin of the page opposite his name upon the registration books, or copy of the books, furnished by the board of voter registration and elections. One of the managers also shall compare the photograph contained on the required identification with the person presenting himself to vote. The manager shall verify that the photograph is that of the person seeking to vote. The managers shall keep a poll list which must contain one column headed "Names of Voters". Before a ballot is delivered to a voter, the voter shall sign his name on the poll list, which must be furnished to the appropriate election officials by the State Election Commission. At the top of each page, the voter's oath appropriate to the election must be printed. The signing of the poll list or the marking of the poll list is considered to be an affirmation of the oath by the voter. One of the managers shall compare the signature on the poll list with the signature on the voter's driver's license, registration notification, or other identification and may require further identification of the voter and proof of his right to vote under this title as he considers necessary. If the voter is unable to write or if the voter is prevented from signing by physical handicap, he may sign his name to the poll list by mark with the assistance of one of the managers.
(C)(1) If the elector cannot produce the identification as required in subsection (A), he may cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if the elector brings a valid and current photograph identification to the county board of voter registration and elections before certification of the election by the county board of canvassers.
(2) If the manager disputes that the photograph contained on the required identification is the person presenting himself to vote, the elector may cast a provisional ballot. A determination of that provisional ballot must be made in accordance with Section 7-13-830.
(D)(1)(a) If an elector does not produce a valid and current photograph identification due to a religious objection to being photographed, he may complete an affidavit under penalty of perjury at the polling place and affirm that the elector: (i) is the same individual who personally appeared at the polling place; (ii) cast the provisional ballot on election day; and (iii) has a religious objection to being photographed. Upon completion of the affidavit, the elector may cast a provisional ballot. The affidavit must be submitted with the provisional ballot envelope and be filed with the county board of voter registration and elections before certification of the election by the county board of canvassers.
(b) If an elector does not produce a valid and current photograph identification because the elector suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification, he may complete an affidavit under the penalty of perjury at the polling place and affirm that the elector: (i) is the same individual who personally appeared at the polling place; (ii) cast the provisional ballot on election day; and (iii) the elector suffers from a reasonable impediment that prevents him from obtaining photograph identification. The elector also shall list the impediment, unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law. Upon completion of the affidavit, the elector may cast a provisional ballot. The affidavit must be submitted with the provisional ballot envelope and be filed with the county board of voter registration and elections before certification of the election by the county board of canvassers.
(2) If the county board of voter registration and elections determines that the voter was challenged only for the inability to provide proof of identification and the required affidavit is submitted, the county board of voter registration and elections shall find that the provisional ballot is valid unless the board has grounds to believe the affidavit is false.
(3) If the county board of voter registration and elections determines that the voter has been challenged for a cause other than the inability to provide proof of identification as required by subsection (A), the county board of voter registration and elections shall:
(a) note on the envelope containing the provisional ballot that the voter complied with the proof of identification requirement; and
(b) proceed to determine the validity of the remaining challenges before ruling on the validity of the provisional ballot.
(E) The purpose of the identification required pursuant to subsection (A) is to confirm the person presenting himself to vote is the elector on the poll list. Any address listed on the identification is not determinative of an elector's domicile for the purpose of voting. An elector's domicile for the purpose of voting is determined pursuant to the provisions of Section 7-1-25.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-400.51; 1952 Code Sections 23-322, 23-380; 1950 (46) 2059; 1966 (54) 2340; 1968 (55) 2316; 1984 Act No. 510, Section 17, eff June 28, 1984; 1988 Act No. 507, Section 2, eff May 9, 1988; 1993 Act No 181 Section 65, eff July 1, 1993; 1996 Act No. 459, Section 5, eff June 5, 1996; 2011 Act No. 27, Section 5, eff upon contingency.
Editor's Note
2011 Act No. 27, Section 5, declared legally unenforceable pursuant to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by the U.S. Department of Justice, see letter to S.C. Assistant Deputy Attorney General from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, dated December 23, 2011. 2011 Act No. 27, Section 5, amends Section 7-13-710, which read:
"When any person presents himself to vote, he shall produce his valid South Carolina driver's license or other form of identification containing a photograph issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, if he is not licensed to drive, or the written notification of registration provided for by Sections 7-5-125 and 7-5-180 if the notification has been signed by the elector. If the elector loses or defaces his registration notification, he may obtain a duplicate notification from his county board of registration upon request in person, or by telephone or mail. After presentation of the required identification, his name must be checked by one of the managers on the margin of the page opposite his name upon the registration books, or copy of the books, furnished by the board of registration. The managers shall keep a poll list which must contain one column headed 'Names of Voters'. Before any ballot is delivered to a voter, the voter shall sign his name on the poll list, which must be furnished to the appropriate election officials by the State Election Commission. At the top of each page the voter's oath appropriate to the election must be printed. The signing of the poll list or the marking of the poll list is considered to be an affirmation of the oath by the voter. One of the managers shall compare the signature on the poll list with the signature on the voter's driver's license, registration notification, or other identification and may require further identification of the voter and proof of his right to vote under this title as he considers necessary. If the voter is unable to write or if the voter is prevented from signing by physical handicap, he may sign his name to the poll list by mark with the assistance of one of the managers."
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia precleared sections 4, 5, 7, and 8 of 2011 Act No. 27 for future elections in South Carolina beginning with any elections in 2013, see South Carolina v. U.S., -- F.Supp.2d --, 2012 WL 4814094 (D.D.C.,2012).