Tatum, South Carolina Public Records

South Carolina voters can register online at scVOTES.gov, the South Carolina Election Commission's website that handles new registrations and updates to existing ones. Applicants need their South Carolina driver's license or DMV ID card number, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. The registration deadline sits at 30 days before any election. In-person registration is available at the Marlboro County elections office, at any South Carolina DMV location, or by submitting a completed application through the mail. As an unincorporated community, Tatum does not conduct municipal elections for mayor or town council. Instead, residents cast ballots in county-level, state legislative, and federal contests. County elections include races for County Council (seven single-member districts), Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Coroner, Auditor, Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and other constitutional offices. The state holds its elections in even-numbered years. Looking ahead to 2026, South Carolina voters will decide numerous significant races. The Governor's office and other statewide constitutional positions (Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, and others) appear on the 2026 ballot, as gubernatorial elections occur in midterm years. All 124 South Carolina House of Representatives seats and all 46 Senate seats will be contested. While South Carolina doesn't have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (the next Senate elections fall in 2028), all seven of the state's U.S. House seats will be on the ballot. The community is located in South Carolina's 7th Congressional District. Residents can locate their assigned polling place using the lookup tool at scVOTES.gov/South-Carolina-polling-places or by contacting the Marlboro County elections office directly. Assignments are based on voter registration address and precinct. During the November 2024 presidential election, Marlboro County reported approximately 5,900 registered voters with turnout reaching roughly 3,800 voters (about 64% turnout), though exact certified totals should be confirmed with Marlboro County. South Carolina permits absentee voting by mail for voters meeting specific state-defined circumstances: age 65 or older, illness or physical disability, members of the armed forces and their spouses or dependents, persons on election duty, students attending school outside their county of residence, and government employees required to be away from their polling place on Election Day. Applications must be submitted to the Marlboro County elections office and are available at scVOTES.gov. The state also offers early in-person voting beginning approximately two weeks before Election Day at county-designated locations. Public election records in South Carolina include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the State Ethics Commission (accessible at ethics.sc.gov), candidate filings and ballot information, and precinct-level election results. The South Carolina Election Commission publishes statewide results at scVOTES.gov, while the Marlboro County elections office provides county-specific results and precinct breakdowns. Voter history (which elections a person participated in, not how they voted) forms part of the public voter file. Individual ballot choices remain secret and are never disclosed.