Election Day Guide: What you need to know before you vote Nov. 5

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Election day in South Carolina is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

For those registered to vote in the state, bookmark this guide to help you be prepared and informed. It contains information on key races, how to find your polling place, how to see a sample ballot and what you need to take with you to vote.

Tuesday night, WIS will have live election results available for local races by clicking or tapping here. Checking that page now can help you see which races you will want to pay attention to in your area.

This election focuses on local issues for voters. There are no statewide races.

If you want to know who is running, when they filed and more, check out the South Carolina Election Commission’s website.

The simplest way to see which races you will get to cast a vote in is to create a sample ballot by clicking or tapping here and entering your information.

Here are the key races we are watching:

COLUMBIA

In Columbia, there are three City Council seats up for grabs: District 2, District 3 and at-large.

The candidates running for District 2 are: Ed McDowell (incumbent), Anna Fonseca and Catherine Bruce. (Click a candidate’s name for more information.)

The candidates running for District 3 are: Moe Baddourah (incumbent), John Loveday and Will Brennan.

Candidates vying for the at-large seat are: Howard Duvall (incumbent), Sara Middleton, Dylan Gunnels and Amadeo Geere.

IRMO

In Irmo, the mayoral race will be heated, as incumbent Hardy King faces Barry Walker Sr. and Mike Ward. Read about the candidates’ positions and other issues facing Irmo by clicking or tapping here.

WEST COLUMBIA

West Columbia residents will vote for a new mayor. There are also four council seats to be decided: District 2, District 4, District 6 and District 8.

Candidates for mayor include Tem Miles and Madison Duncan.

Below we’ve linked additional information for each candidate for city council, when available:

District 2: Robert Trevor Bedell (incumbent) is running unopposed.

District 4: Ronnie Lindler, Joseph Dickey

District 6: Jimmy Brooks (incumbent) is running unopposed.

District 8: Jan Anderson, Dave Shaw, Rod Lorick, David Benjamin Moye

Find additional information about races in your area by creating your sample ballot, as mentioned above.

If you’re planning to vote, you can find your polling location online.

If you do not have your voter registration card and do not know your precinct name, use this Check Your Voter Registration feature.

Remember: polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

When voting, you need to take a photo ID to your polling place. These are acceptable photo IDs to present to election officials:

• SC Driver's License
• SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
• SC Voter Registration Card with Photo
• Federal Military ID
• US Passport

Finally, the South Carolina Elections Commission has a list of frequently asked questions you can consult before you cast your vote.

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