Edisto Island, South Carolina Public Records

The registration deadline is 30 days before any election. Residents can also register in person at the Colleton County elections office, by mail using a printable application from scVOTES.gov, or at SC Department of Motor Vehicles offices. As an unincorporated area, the island itself does not hold municipal elections for mayor or town council. However, residents of the incorporated Town of Edisto Beach vote for mayor and town council members in elections typically held in even-numbered years, with the next municipal election scheduled for November 2026. Town of Edisto Beach election information is available through the town clerk at 843-869-2505. Island voters participate in county-level elections for Colleton County Council (District 8 represents the area), county constitutional officers including Sheriff, and school board representatives. To find their assigned polling place, residents can use the polling place locator at www.scVOTES.gov/party-precinct-lookup by entering their name and date of birth or address. Most local voters cast ballots at precincts including Edisto Island precinct and Edisto Beach precinct, depending on exact location. In the November 2024 presidential election, Colleton County reported approximately 54% voter turnout, with roughly 11,500 ballots cast out of approximately 21,000 registered voters; the island's precinct participation was slightly above the county average. For the November 3, 2026 general election, voters in the area and throughout Colleton County will decide several significant races. All South Carolina statewide constitutional offices including Governor (Tim McMaster eligible for reelection), Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and other positions will be on the ballot. South Carolina does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026, but one of the state's seven U.S. House seats (District 6, which includes Colleton County) will be contested. State legislature races include South Carolina Senate District 39 and House District 94, both of which represent portions of the island. County offices potentially on the 2026 ballot include Colleton County Council seats, Sheriff, Auditor, Treasurer, and other constitutional officers, depending on term schedules. South Carolina also allows voters to decide on local option referendums and bond issues that may appear on the ballot. South Carolina offers absentee voting for any reason; voters can request an absentee ballot online at www.scVOTES.gov, by mail, or in person at the Colleton County elections office beginning 180 days before an election. Absentee ballots must be requested by 5:00 PM the Friday before the election, and completed ballots must be received (not postmarked) by 7:00 PM on Election Day. Early in-person voting is available at the Colleton County elections office and potentially satellite locations for approximately two weeks before Election Day. South Carolina election records that are publicly accessible include voter registration lists (available for purchase from county election offices for political purposes), campaign finance reports (searchable at ethics.sc.gov for state and county candidates), candidate filings and certifications, precinct-level election results (published by the State Election Commission at www.scVOTES.gov/election-results), and historical turnout data. Individual voter history (which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is included in voter registration data and is public record in South Carolina.