Important Checklists for Upcoming Elections

We still await comprehensive election reform. Our recommendation is Gold Standard Elections, and we provide detailed guidelines, processes, and procedures in our white paper, available here and at goldstandardelections.com. However, given that the current electronic system is still in place, we need to provide guidance to monitor and audit our elections. In this video, Gold Standard Election team members Laura Scharr and Rick Weible break down a checklist of action items for candidates, poll watchers/observers, poll workers, and voters. The most important thing that you can do is VOTE. Turnout for your primary and general elections.

  1. Candidate checklist
  • Confirm your name is spelled correctly at the state and or county offices and that your name is pronounced correctly for any disability devices; confirm that your name is on ALL sample ballots that are published with the public notice.
  • Review your state statute and rules for all deadlines- e.g., Canvassing of your counties, state, and when challenges and legal filings need to be submitted, recounts, post-election audit, absentee ballot processing, provisional ballot reviews, absentee deadlines, etc.
  • Send performance letters to the SEC, AG office, etc., cc: DOJ
  • Interview attorneys proactively who have election experience to ensure a timely challenge, if necessary.
  • Ensure your party/campaign has sufficient poll watchers/workers; recruit as needed.
  • Confirm that your name is in every precinct where you qualify and all ballot styles for that precinct.
  • L&A Testing*: Attend and ensure that the counties are following your state laws; FOIA all results

Does the test deck include:

  • Every Ballot Type—Ballot on demand, pre-printed, and all barcoded style ballot for in-person voting?Every Ballot Style/Precinct?
  • Is a different number of votes assigned to each contest group (every person or question) on the ballot? If any contest has no votes selected, it is an invalid test; i.e., every option for each race must be tested.
  • Undervotes?–Instances where the voter didn’t vote for a candidate or for fewer than the required candidates or selections?
  • Overvotes? — apply mainly to absentee or hand-marked ballots and occur when the person voted for more people or options than indicated.
  • Blank Ballots?  How many? (at least 10)
  • Folded ballots? (absentee ballots should be tested as well) This ensures that no folds cross over the ovals
  • Write-In votes?
  • Unique number of votes cast per candidate/per race?
  • Poll workers and observers needed for machine testing, early voting, and election day, absentee ballot processing, post-election audits, and canvassing/certification at the county where provisional votes are reviewed, as well as any recounts!
  • FOIA early voting poll lists and post-election poll tapes
  • Attend post-election audits; ideally, these should be conducted for races/precincts that are close and not for unopposed races.
  • Consider requesting a hand count for precincts that are close.

SC Specific Information for Candidates

Here is a structured, election-administration–level overview of key dates, statutory timing rules, and procedural deadlines for the 2026 South Carolina state primary (June 9, 2026), along with what is fixed statewide vs. varies by county.

Core Election Timeline (2026 SC Primary)

  • Primary Election Day: June 9, 2026
  • Runoff (if needed): June 23, 2026

Absentee Voting Deadlines

Requesting absentee ballot

  • Deadline: May 29, 2026 (5:00 PM)
  • Statutory rule:
    • In person: up to 11 days before the election
    • By mail: must be received ~4 days prior to the Emergency absentee voting
  • June 5–June 9, 2026 (hospitalized voters) Returning absentee ballots
  • Due: June 9, 2026 (by close of polls, 7 PM) must be received by Election Day (not postmarked) except for UOCAVA (+2 days)

Early Voting May 26 – June 5, 2026

Voter Registration

Deadline: May 11, 2026, by mail

Sample Ballots

  • Available via the state voter portal (SCVotes) once ballots are finalized.
  • Typical timing:

~45–30 days before election, generally late April–mid May 2026

Logic & Accuracy (L&A) Testing (see law below SC Code § 7-13-1390)

  • Required before every election AND before and after the count. Public notice requirements 5 days prior to testing. Conducted by county election offices
  • Must be:
    • Publicly noticed
    • Open to observers

Timing (typical SC practice)

  • 1–3 weeks before early voting begins
  • So for the 2026 primary:
    • Likely mid–late May 2026

👉 Exact dates vary by county and are posted locally.

Canvassing & Certification

County Canvass

  • Begins immediately after the election
  • Must be completed:
    • By Thursday/Friday after the election (~June 12–13, 2026)
      (statutory window: within a few days)

State Canvass (State Election Commission)

  • Typically:
    • ~1 week after the election
    • Around June 17–18, 2026

👉 Certification occurs after county reports are finalized.

What happens in canvass

  • Provisional ballot adjudication
  • Absentee final acceptance/rejection
  • Reconciliation:
    • ballots cast vs. voters checked in
  • Certification of county results

👉 This is THE key challenge window

Recounts & Challenges

Automatic recount threshold

South Carolina law:

  • ≤ 1% margin triggers recount (for many offices)

Types of recounts

  • Machine recount (automatic)
  • Hand recount (rare, ordered by court)

Protest/contest deadlines

County-level protest

  • Filed with the county board:
    • Within 48 hours after the results are declared

Appeal to the state

  • Filed with State Election Commission:
    • Shortly after the county decision (tight statutory window)

Judicial challenge

  • Filed in court after administrative remedies

👉 These timelines are very compressed (days, not weeks).

Ballot certification

  • Occurs after filing closes and challenges are resolved
  • Drives:
    • sample ballot release
    • L&A testing prep

Poll Worker Deadlines

  • Counties must:
    • Recruit & appoint poll managers
    • Train prior to early voting

Typical timeline:

  • Recruitment: March–May
  • Final assignments: ~2–3 weeks before the election

Additional Operational Milestones

Absentee ballots sent out

  • Federal requirement:
    • 45 days before the election (for military/overseas voters)
  • For 2026:
    • ~late April 2026

Ballot printing & distribution

  • Late April → early May

🧭 Summary Timeline

PhaseDate (2026)
Candidate filing opensMarch 16
Absentee ballots begin mailing~Late April
Sample ballots availableLate April–May
L&A testing (public)Mid–late May
Voter registration deadlineMay 11
Absentee request deadlineMay 29
Early votingMay 26 – June 5
Election DayJune 9
Absentee return deadlineJune 9
County canvass~June 10–13
State certification~June 17–18
Runoff (if needed)June 23

2. Poll Observer Checklist

  • Opening of polls: Were you able to observe the “0” tape at the opening of the election? Were the ballot boxes empty and secure?  
  • If your state law requires it, review any configuration reports.
  • If your state law requires it, ensure that the L&A test was performed pre- and post-tabulator use. (If this is done, they must do an additional 0 tape to clear out the test totals.
  • Confirm that their equipment list matches the chain-of-custody documents.
  • Are the security seals on the top of the tabulator and on the ballot boxes intact and unvoided? Seals should not be opened during the election. If any seals need to be removed, is it being documented?
  • Does the site have an incident log?
  • Are poll workers asking for ID?
  • Were there issues with invalid IDs or people who moved more than 30 days prior to the election? Depends on your state law.
  • Machine issues or “glitches” where one name is pressed, and another name is registered on the ballot marking device? Is this being documented on the incident log?
  • Are the tabulators working properly? Were emergency ballots used, or regular ballots needed to be added to the provisional ballot box without being counted by the tabulator?
  • Check that the tabulator count and poll list reconcile at the end of each day of voting: Voters Checked In should = Votes cast + Provisional Ballots + Spoiled Ballots
  • End of election night—secure poll tape images—take photos, if possible, for all precincts in the county
  • Document if a thumb drive is being removed and if they are transmitting election results via modem
  • Ensure all seals have been documented for all tabulators or ballot boxes, and at the end of the night. Confirm that the parties that transfer these items back to the county are being documented.
  • Consider having someone document the vehicles and boxes at the county when they arrive, with the seals intact.
  • Does there appear to be bipartisan representation for poll workers for that precinct or location?
  • Has any voter been told they’ve already voted? Document the outcome

3. Poll Worker Checklist

  • Same steps issue as above
  • Be on the lookout for potential ballot harvesting, groups of people coming in who may have suspect IDs, or being led by one particular person.
  • Were there any incidents that needed to be reported? (handicap accessibility issues, issues with curbside voting, or machine malfunction?) Other poll workers who were not abiding by the laws? Any technicians or other voters who had access to the machine flash drives, seals, etc.?)
  • Consider keeping a separate check-in list (paper vote roster) for all voters to reconcile with the electronic poll books; can preprint names in alphabetical order or a blank numerical roster.
  • Check the total number of registered voters in the county on the poll pads each hour during the day. Does it change? Record it. Also, the mail/absentee ballot numbers and early vote numbers. The number of early voting (in-person) should stay fixed after the early vote period.
  • If your state law requires, do not initial more ballots than the number of voters in the line. Spoil any stamped or initialed ballots at the end of the night.
  • Or if your state doesn’t initial or stamp each ballot document, unused/spoiled ballots.

4. Voter Checklist

  • Research the candidates. Contact your local party to see where any debates are taking place.
  • Check the candidates’ voting records if they are current office holders.
  • Read local respected news articles on the candidates.
  • Research the candidates’ websites. Call them if need be or try to meet them at a candidate forum.
  • Review the sample ballot for your precinct.
  • Review campaign finance reports—Open Secrets, or the federal/state campaign finance sites or FEC.gov
  • Don’t rely on friends’ opinions unless they are extremely knowledgeable.
  • VOTE! Turnout is key, especially in the primaries; bring your ID and some friends
  • Don’t necessarily rely on your party’s endorsements; be an independent thinker
  • Consider serving as a poll watcher for a campaign or as a poll worker.
  • Encourage your friends and family members to vote!

The best way to beat a potential cheat is to overwhelm the polls. Here is a related blog post:

How to be an informed voter this year

Here is a video that explains this in more detail.

Here is the SC code for L&A testing and a list of additional questions

Logic and Accuracy-Checklist SCDownload

 Machine testing SC Code § 7-13-1390*

(a) The election officials of each county shall cause the proper ballot labels to be placed on each vote recorder which is to be used in any election within such county and shall cause each vote recorder to be placed in proper order for voting.

(b) The election officials of each county shall appoint one custodian of vote recorders, and such deputy custodians as may be necessary, whose duty it shall be to prepare the vote recorders to be used in county elections. Each custodian and deputy custodian shall receive such compensation as provided for in the annual county appropriation. Such custodian shall, under the direction of the county election officials, have charge of and represent them during the preparation of the vote recorders as required by this article, and he and the deputy custodians, whose duty it shall be to assist him in the discharge of his duties, shall serve at the pleasure of the county election officials.

(c) On or before the third day preceding an election, the county election officials shall have the tabulating machines tested to ascertain that they will correctly count the votes cast for all offices and on all questions. Public notice of the time and place of the test shall be made at least five days prior thereto. Representatives of political parties and bodies, candidates, news media and the public shall be permitted to observe such tests. The test shall be conducted by processing a pre-audited group of ballot cards clearly marked for such purpose, not to exceed fifty for each candidate or question, so punched or marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each question, and shall include for each office one or more ballot cards which have votes in excess of or less than the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the tabulating machine to reject such votes. The tabulating machine shall not be approved unless it produces an errorless counting. If any error is detected, the cause therefor shall be ascertained and corrected, and an errorless count shall be made before the machine is approved. The same test shall be repeated immediately before the start of the official count of the ballot cards and at the conclusion of such count. The county election officials or custodian shall also prepare the vote recorders for voting at the various polling places to be used in the election. In preparing the vote recorders, they shall arrange the recorders and the ballot labels so that they meet all requirements of voting and counting at such primary or election, thoroughly inspect and test the vote recorders, and file a certificate, as prescribed by the State Election Commission, in the office of the county election officials that the recorders are in proper order with correct ballot labels.

(d) Prior to the election, no county election officials, nor custodian, nor other employee shall in any way prevent free access to and examination of all voting machines which are to be used at the election under proper supervision and, at reasonable times, by any interested persons.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 23-400.109; 1970 (56) 2022.