YORK, S.C. — The countdown for Election Day is down to just one week, but in South Carolina, many aren’t waiting to cast their ballots.
Early voting was instituted in South Carolina just this year, and numbers show people are showing up. The York County Office of Voter Registration and Elections said as of Monday, 12,347 people in York County voted early. In total, York County has 194,809 registered voters.
York County resident Terry Rousch said he is glad he doesn't have to wait in a long line to vote.
"Last time I was here a couple of years ago, we were wrapped around the building and it was a couple of hours," Rousch said. "So this was great – walked right up to it."
Early voting closes this Saturday, Nov. 5. For those who chose not to vote early or absentee, poll sites will open at 7 a.m. on Nov. 8th, with nearly 600 election workers spread throughout York County.
“Early voting is very helpful for our office," Alan Helms, Director of Voter Registration and Elections in York County, said. "It helps us reduce lines on Election Day and also reduce some of the workload on Election Day.”
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As of Tuesday, eligible voters have returned more than 2,200 absentee ballots, and voters who need to return them have until 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.
If you’re not registered to vote, it’s too late to do so for this election. If you are registered, all you must bring is your ID.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.