Early voting rallies planned in Bluffton and Hilton Head ahead of November election

by Shakuria Smith

BLUFFTON, Sc. (WTOC) - Lowcountry Indivisible and Okatie Indivisible will host “Vote Early” events Saturday, Oct. 17, in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island ahead of South Carolina’s early voting period.

Organizers say the rallies and a march are intended to encourage Beaufort County residents to cast their ballots before the Nov. 3 general election.

The Hilton Head Island rally will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of Mathews Drive and U.S. 278, identified by organizers as Parker’s Corner.

In Bluffton, participants will gather at 4 p.m. at the Beaufort County government offices at 4819 Bluffton Parkway. A march to the Bluffton Library will begin at 5 p.m.

The Bluffton Branch Library is one of four designated early voting locations in Beaufort County, according to county election officials.

“This is a very important election for the country,” said Dr. Richard Granse, chairman of Lowcountry Indivisible.

Organizers describe the events as peaceful gatherings and say they are part of a broader national effort to encourage early voting.

Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and closed Sunday, Oct. 25, according to the South Carolina Election Commission. Registered voters can vote at any early voting center in their county and should bring an accepted photo ID.

Beaufort County’s early voting locations are:

Beaufort: Main County Voter Registration and Elections Office, 15 John Galt Road
Bluffton: Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way
Hilton Head Island: USCB Hilton Head Island campus, 1 Sand Shark Drive
St. Helena Island: St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Drive

The locations are listed by Beaufort County election officials.

Voters can find additional information here.