Register Voters * Be a Voter 2012

Use this voter registration toolkit to host your own voter registration drives -- in your business, school, or community center. Offer the opportunity for employees, staff, or members to register to vote -- during lunch hours, at a monthly meeting, even before or after church.

Research shows that the most effective method of engaging someone in the voting process is peer to peer contact -- how many potential voters are waiting for YOU??

You can start this initiative in your place of work, community center... anywhere you can help people register to vote. Find all the materials you need here, print them out, and start. And if you get a chance, drop us a note to let us know you're participating and what your results have been! Also, feel free to call us (843-766-5416) with any questions you have. We'll be more than happy to help!

• Flyer: Register to Vote - Announce your voter registration drive. Insert the day, date, time, and place as appropriate. You can also edit this to become your Voter Registration sign on the day of.

• Vote 2012 Handout - Important information on the whens/wheres/hows of Election Day. Print, cut, and make available to voters. (Note: This document is 2 pages, and is meant to be printed front/back, then cut into 3 sections.)

• Voter Registration Form - You can download this to use or pick up mail-in forms at your county Board of Voter Registration. If you are picking up forms at your local Board, you can also get a supply of the brochures Voting in South Carolina and 1-2-3 VOTE to have available.

Note the ID requirement: If registering for the first time in this county, one must attach a copy of a current valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or other government document that shows name and address in the county. If not provided at the time of registration, it will be required when voting the first time. So, if you have access to a photocopier, it is great to take care of this at the time of registration.

You can either hand out forms for individuals to complete and mail in on their own, or you can collect the forms and deliver to your local Board. There is no need to separate forms for each county; whichever county receives the forms will ensure distribution to the correct county for processing. If at all possible, deliver the forms in person; if not possible, please send by Priority Mail.

• Absentee Application Request Form - Print, cut, and have available so voters can complete and attach to their voter registration form if they intend to vote absentee or take one to have for future reference should they decide to vote absentee at a later date. Listings of eight area County Boards of Election and Voter Registration are included so they can easily find where to send their application.

• South Carolina Voter Registration FAQ's - Read in advance. This handout will answer questions that potential voters might have about when, where, and how to vote, plus give needed contact information.

Deadline for voter registration for the General Election is October 8. Citizens must be registered 30 days in advance of elections.

After November 8, 2011, any citizen who will be eighteen years of age on or before November 6, 2012 can register and vote in the primary elections held before, including the first-in-the-South presidential primary elections.

In 2010, CofC student Eugenie Valentine partnered with the League of Women Voters Charleston Area to register students on her campus. The following video tells her story -- mostly successful, a little humorous, and inspirational.