South Carolina voter registration deadline extended 10 days after Hurricane Helene devastation

COLUMBIA - South Carolina voters will have an extra 10 days to register after a judge agreed to an extension in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a once-in-a-generation tempest that slammed into the Upstate, killing at least 41 people in the state while unleashing unprecedented flooding and causing widespread power outages.

The S.C. Democratic Party filed a lawsuit late Thursday, Oct. 3, asking to extend the voter registration deadline to Oct. 14.

The deadline to register in person was scheduled to end Friday, Oct. 4.

Circuit Judge Daniel Coble issued his ruling in Columbia on Friday morning after a quickly called hearing.

The deadline to register in person was scheduled to end Friday afternoon, while online registration would have finished Oct. 6 and mail registration had to be postmarked by Oct. 7.