Ladys Island, South Carolina Public Records

Registration deadlines fall 30 days before any election. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, at least 18 years old by Election Day, residents of South Carolina and the county, and not under a court order declaring them mentally incompetent or convicted of a disqualifying felony unless voting rights have been restored. Online registration requires a South Carolina driver's license or DMV-issued ID. Because this is an unincorporated community, there are no municipal elections for mayor or town council. Instead, residents participate in Beaufort County and South Carolina state elections. Local voters cast ballots for Beaufort County Council - currently District 5 and District 6 include portions of the area - as well as Beaufort County School Board, Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Coroner, Auditor, Treasurer, and other county constitutional officers. Polling place assignments can be found using the precinct lookup tool at scVOTES.gov/south-carolina-voter-registration-information by entering a home address. Typical precincts serving the community include Battery Creek, Lady's Island 1, and Lady's Island 2, with polling locations at Battery Creek High School, 1 Dolphin Drive, and other community centers. Under South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. § 7-1-25), voter registration lists are public records available for inspection, though certain personal information such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth remains confidential. Campaign finance reports for county and state candidates are maintained by the South Carolina Ethics Commission at ethics.sc.gov, which provides a searchable database of contributions and expenditures. Candidate filing information and certified candidate lists are public and posted by the Beaufort County elections office and the state Election Commission. Precinct-level election results are published on the Beaufort County elections website and at the South Carolina State Election Commission's website after each election. In the November 2024 general election, Beaufort County reported approximately 74,000 registered voters with turnout exceeding 65 percent, reflecting high engagement in the presidential race. On November 3, 2026, South Carolina will hold state and federal midterm elections. Local voters will decide key races including the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Lindsey Graham, whose seat is up in 2026. Senator Tim Scott's seat is next up in 2028. South Carolina does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026 since the governor is elected in presidential years, but voters will elect members of the South Carolina House of Representatives - all 124 seats serve two-year terms - and South Carolina Senate, where some of 46 seats are contested in staggered four-year terms. Beaufort County voters will also decide county constitutional offices such as Sheriff and Clerk of Court if those terms expire. Absentee voting in South Carolina requires an excuse: voters must qualify under one of the statutory reasons including age 65 or older, physical disability, election duty, work or school obligations, family member hospitalization, or travel on Election Day. Absentee ballot applications are available at scVOTES.gov or through the Beaufort County elections office. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. The Friday before the election for in-person absentee voting, or by 5:00 p.m. Four days before Election Day for mail applications. South Carolina enacted Act 150 in 2024 expanding voting access, including no-excuse absentee voting for certain elections. Voters should check current requirements at scVOTES.gov.