North Charleston, South Carolina Public Records

South Carolina residents can register to vote online at https://www.scvotes.gov/south-carolina-voter-registration-information through the State Election Commission's portal, though registration must be completed at least 30 days before any election. To qualify, voters must be U.S. Citizens, at least 18 years old, South Carolina residents, and not under a court order declaring mental incompetence or serving a sentence for a felony conviction - voting rights are restored once the sentence, probation, and parole are complete. The state does not require party registration. The city operates under a mayor-council form of government, with municipal elections falling in odd-numbered years. The mayor and ten city council members each serve four-year terms. North Charleston's next municipal election is scheduled for November 2025, when all council seats and the mayor's position will appear on the ballot. Candidates and local ballot measures can be found at https://www.northcharleston.org and through the Charleston County Elections Office as election dates approach. Residents can locate their assigned polling place by visiting https://www.scvotes.gov/south-carolina-voting-precinct-polling-place-lookup and entering their address. The county operates over 80 precincts on Election Day. Under South Carolina law (SC Code § 7-3-20), voter registration lists are public records available for inspection and purchase for political and election related purposes. Campaign finance disclosures for state and local candidates are maintained by the South Carolina Ethics Commission at https://apps.sc.gov/PublicReporting. The Charleston County Elections Office publishes precinct-level election results at https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/voter-registration/election-results.php shortly after certification. In the November 2024 presidential election, Charleston County recorded approximately 235,000 votes cast, representing roughly 78% turnout of registered voters. North Charleston precincts showed strong participation across all demographics. The November 3, 2026 election will present several significant races for local voters. All seven South Carolina U.S. House seats will be on the ballot - the city is primarily in District 1, represented by Nancy Mace, and partially in District 6. All 124 South Carolina House of Representatives seats and 23 of 46 State Senate seats will be contested, including local seats for districts covering the area. Charleston County Council seats in Districts 4, 8, and 9 will be up for election, along with Charleston County School Board seats, Charleston County Soil and Water Conservation District positions, and potentially statewide judicial retention elections. South Carolina does not have gubernatorial or U.S. Senate elections in 2026, as both were on the 2024 ballot. Absentee voting in South Carolina requires an excuse. Eligible reasons include being 65 years or older, physical disability, being out of the county on Election Day, work obligations requiring you to be at your job during poll hours, election worker service, admission to a hospital as an emergency patient, or government service. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Charleston County Voter Registration office by 5:00 PM the Friday before the election. Applications are available at https://www.scvotes.gov/absentee-voting. South Carolina implemented early voting beginning in 2022. In-person absentee voting is available at the Charleston County Voter Registration office and satellite locations starting approximately two weeks before Election Day during business hours and some Saturdays. Valid photo ID is required to vote in the state. Acceptable forms include a South Carolina driver's license, DMV ID card, passport, military ID, or voter registration card with photo issued by the Charleston County elections office, which is available free of charge.