COVID-19 Requirements for Poll Watchers, Observers, Candidates, and Candidate Representatives
In an effort to ensure the safety and security of everyone at a polling place during the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect the orderly conduct of elections; poll watchers, observers, candidates, and candidate representatives will be required to follow some additional rules and guidelines while at a polling place. These rules and guidelines are in addition to those outlined in the Poll Manager’s Handbook.
Voters who are blind, physically handicapped, or unable to read or write are entitled to assistance in casting their ballot. This assistance may be given by anyone the voter chooses except his employer, an agent of his employer, or an officer or agent of his union. The Managers of Election must be notified if assistance is needed. Voters who are unable to enter their polling place due to physical handicap or age may vote in the vehicle in which they drove, or were driven, to the polls. When notified, the Managers will help these voters using the curbside voting provision.
• Anyone, other than a voter, who is in a polling place or stationed outside a polling place on the facility grounds, will be required to:
o wear a face mask, and
o remain at least six feet away from any other person, unless providing assistance to a voter as allowed by law.
• Some polling places have limited space and can accommodate only a limited number of watchers and observers, particularly while practicing social distancing. If space is limited, poll managers may establish a process to accommodate watchers and observers to the greatest extent possible while maintaining health, safety, and an orderly election process. This may include limiting the number of watchers and observers allowed in the polling place at one time on a rotating schedule.
Anyone who refuses to abide by these rules may be asked to leave the polling place grounds.
Registered electors who cannot vote in person may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. The process of examining the return-addressed envelopes containing absentee ballots will begin, at 9 AM, on Election Day at the Lexington County Registration and Elections Commission at 605 W. Main Street, Lexington, SC. Persons wishing more information concerning absentee voting should contact the Lexington County Registration and Elections Commission at (803) 785-8362.
All precincts will be open for Tuesday’s primary vote.
However, 2 of our precincts are being combined with another:
The SALUDA RIVER precinct will be voting at the WESTOVER precinct’s polling location:
Providence Presbyterian Church
1112 Hummingbird Drive
The HOOKS STORE precinct will be voting at the WEST COLUMBIA #4 precinct’s polling location:
Restore Church
2310 Platt Springs Road
Voting Map: https://westcolumbiasc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=41c3078e9c234f40be3a6b46c92928ec
The polls will open at 7 AM and close at 7 PM and the precincts and locations will be as follows:
| Precinct Name | Location | Address |
| Quail Hollow (21) | Saluda River Baptist Church | 3459 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| Leaphart Rd (29) | Pineview Baptist Church | 3010 Leaphart Rd, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| Westover (30) | Providence Presbyterian Church | 1112 Hummingbird Dr, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| Hook Store (40) | West Columbia Pentecostal Holiness | 2310 Platt Springs Rd, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| Saluda River (41) | Providence Presbyterian Church | 1112 Hummingbird Dr, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| Springdale (42) | Springdale Baptist Church | 357 Watling Rd, West Columbia, SC 29170 |
| W Columbia #1 (44) | Brookland United Methodist Church | 541 Meeting St, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| W Columbia #2 (45) | Turner Memorial AME | 1122 Monticello St, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| W Columbia #3 (46) | West Columbia Community Center | 754 B Ave, West Columbia, SC 29169 |
| W Columbia #4 (47) | West Columbia Pentecostal Holiness | 2310 Platt Springs Rd, West Columbia, SC 29169 |