Election Extension

The South Carolina Election Commission said on Friday that the state’s voter registration deadline has been extended to Oct. 14 due to the widespread impact of Hurricane Helene. The initial deadlines for in-person, online, and mail-in voter registration were Oct. 4, Oct. 6, and Oct. 7, respectively. All registration methods have now been extended to Oct. 14 for voters in all counties.

The announcement followed a recent decision by Circuit Court Judge Daniel Coble to grant an extension following a lawsuit filed by the South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) on Oct. 3. The party had asked the court to extend the deadlines for all forms of voter registration, citing the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane. In its suit, the SCDP said the storm had shuttered numerous government offices, including those in charge of voter registration, and many residents were still without power and internet.