South Carolina isn't a presidential battleground state like its neighbor to the north, but there are still local issues and referenda up for votes, including a statewide referendum on whether voting should be constitutionally restricted to citizens and hundreds of millions of dollars in bond spending.
The early voting period in South Carolina runs through Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (with the exception of Sunday, Oct. 27, when early voting is closed). You can find locations and sample ballots online at scvotes.gov.
Here are some of the issues and ballot questions voters in South Carolina, and the upstate, will have to decide:
Statewide constitutional referendum
As in many states, including North Carolina, Republicans are pushing to constitutionally restrict voting only to eligible U.S. citizens. It's already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, but activists say they want to ensure municipalities and states don't allow non-citizens to vote in local elections. In South Carolina, the referendum question reads: "Must Section 4, Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to voter qualifications, be amended so as to provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this State of the age of eighteen and upwards who is properly registered is entitled to vote as provided by law?"
Voters will choose "Yes" or "No" on the ballot. If they approve the change, it will be written into South Carolina's constitution.
York County transportation sales tax
Voters in York County will be asked to approve a one-cent sales tax increase to last for seven years, the latest in the county's "Pennies for Progress" program. The revenue would finance major road projects throughout the county, including widening U.S. Highway 21 and improving dozens of intersections. The total cost of the projects would be about $411 million.
York School District No. 1 bond
The York School District is seeking voter approval to issue $90 million worth of bonds to fund a new middle school, acquire property and renovate school facilities.
Lancaster County transportation sales tax
In Lancaster County, voters will get to decide whether to raise the sales tax by one cent for 15 years, in order to fund $405 million worth of transportation improvements. The big-ticket items include widening Highway 521, widening Harrisburg Road, and widening Henry Harris Road, as well as dozens of intersection makeovers, road resurfacing and new roundabouts. Separately, voters will be asked to approve up to $250 million worth of bond spending for additional transportation projects, in order to borrow money upfront and start spending quickly on projects like the 521 widening.
Lancaster County school bonds
Lancaster County voters will also be asked to approve a $588 million school bonds package. This would fund the construction of several new schools in the district, as well as renovations at existing schools and the addition of security cameras with facial recognition to all schools.
Chester County school bonds
In Chester County, voters will have the chance to say yes or no to a $227 million ask. The bond package would fund new and expanded high schools, as well as renovations at existing schools.
Other races
There are no statewide races on the ballot this year in South Carolina, so voters won't get to pick a new governor, senator or other statewide office. All 170 legislative seats are up, but about half of the candidates are running unopposed and only 10% — or 17 — out of the 170 seats are considered competitive at all this year. Governing has a summary of those races online here. None of South Carolina's U.S. House races are rated as competitive this year by the Cook Political Report.
