COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP/WBTW) – South Carolina has shattered the record for absentee ballots cast in a midterm election.
The South Carolina Election Commission said more than 230,000 votes were cast as of Friday evening. That is 46 percent more absentee votes this year than the previous midterm record of 157,000 early votes in 2014.
The numbers are sure to rise. Election officials promised updated numbers Monday evening.
The record for most early voters in any South Carolina election was in November 2016 when more than 500,000 absentee votes were cast.
South Carolina doesn’t have traditional early voting, but election offices are open in counties to allow in-person voting using absentee ballots.
The state election commission’s numbers include mail-in absentee ballots but don’t break down voting by age or other demographic information.
The voting polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Count on results and reactions tomorrow night on News13 and wbtw.com, your local election headquarters.
