State Summary

South Carolina does not have a statutory post-election tabulation audit. The audit process in place through October 2019, primarily of the Direct Recording Electronic voting machines then in use, was an electronic comparison of tabulated results with raw voting machine data. The description of this audit process can be found here.

The State Election Commission (SEC) has indicated that it plans to audit the state’s new voting system, which uses ballot marking devices for all polling-place voters. However, the post-election audit initiative remains unfunded currently.

Voting Systems Used

As of 2020, South Carolina uses ballot marking devices and optical scanners for all polling place voters statewide. For the most up to date information please visit Verified Voting’s Verifier.

For an explanation on the types of voting equipment used, click here.

Audit Comprehensiveness

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Transparency

Results from past electronic audits have been published at https://www.scvotes.gov/election-audits-south-carolina. No information about audit procedures in 2020 and beyond is presently available as audits remain unfunded.

Audit Counting Method

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Type Of Audit Units

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Contests & Issues Audited

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Addressing Discrepancies

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

For recount laws, see Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota website.

Timeline

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Binding On Official Outcomes

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Oversight & Conduct

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.

Ballot Protection

When the canvassing of the votes is completed, the chairman of the managers, or one of them to be designated in writing by the managers, shall deliver to the board of voter registration and elections the poll list, the boxes containing the ballots and a written return of the result of the election in the voting precinct. For more information see, SC Code § 7-13-1150.

Additional Targeted Samples

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.
Results from past electronic audits have been published at https://www.scvotes.gov/election-audits-south-carolina.

Resources

No statutory guidance is provided on audits.