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By: Megan Powell, Staff Attorney If I had a dollar for each of my clients that didn't know they could vote after a criminal conviction in South Carolina, I would be on an island somewhere warm. And I would still exercise my right to vote (and you should, too). The right to vote is one of the most crucial tools we, as American citizens, have in our toolkits for change. It is our way of choosing who speaks on our behalf. Who writes the laws that decide whether someone will serve a mandatory minimum sentence if they are convicted of a crime? The people we elect. Who writes the laws that establish which things on a rap sheet can be expunged? The. People. We. Elect. Now that I've got your attention, let me get straight to the point. Generally, if you have ever been convicted of a crime in South Carolina, and you are finished serving your sentence (including probation or parole), you can re-register to vote right now. Yes, right now! As soon as you finish serving your entire sentence, your right to vote is automatically restored. All you have to do is re-register. Now, there are some caveats-- for example, you must have a valid driver's license or State ID to vote in South Carolina-- but if you have the necessary documents, you can literally register to vote online by clicking these words right here. Sometimes, you might be asked to provide proof of completing your sentence. If you were on probation or parole and completed your term of supervision, you can get documentation from SCDPPPS stating that. For more information on the process of registering to vote in South Carolina, visit SCVotes.org or click here to download the Voter Registration form, which may be submitted in person or by mail. Why should I care about voting? Well, if you get to your voting location at a reasonable time, it can actually be really fun to exercise your civic duty. Beyond that, elections serve purposes greater than just electing the people who make our laws. Sometimes you might be asked to vote for referendums such as the 2023 Spartanburg County Referendum to implement a 1% sales tax to re-pave the County's roads. These election questions are often overlooked, but they directly impact you as a citizen! Further, there is a sort of symbolic beauty in formerly incarcerated South Carolinians, who are routinely overlooked and ignored by society, showing up to the polls by the dozen. System-impacted folks are too often silenced and relegated to the edge of society. Voting is one small but powerful way to break free of these chains and use your voice. So South Carolina's voting laws are perfect? Not by a long shot... but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop encouraging eligible people to get out and vote. One of the biggest hurdles to re-registering that I see is money -- people who might be on administrative probation merely because they still owe money that they don't have. And when you break down the demographics of who is disenfranchised (can't vote) in South Carolina, there are a disproportionate number of black South Carolinians who are affected. There are always improvements to be made, and here at Time Served we plan to keep pushing for these improvements. See you at the box! Chances are that when this post goes live, it will be too late for many of you to re-register to vote this year, and for that I am sorry. However, the beauty of democracy is that you get another chance next year, or the year after, or the year after that. Your actions today will directly impact the choices you have in the future. In South Carolina, you must be registered (or re-registered) to vote at least 30 days before the next election in order to vote in that election. I hope to see many more of you turning out in the future and casting your votes. If you try re-registering to vote and encounter issues related to your system involvement, please contact our office for assistance. If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to our Newsletter, or supporting our work through donations. About the author: Megan Powell is a South Carolina native, and a staff attorney and co-founder of Time Served. She offers a variety of direct legal services to clients who are currently incarcerated or formerly incarcerated. Click here to learn more about Megan.

Time Served is a non-profit organization providing pro bono legal services to currently and formerly incarcerated South Carolinians. We fight to restore civil rights, promote reentry, and empower individuals for a brighter future. Removing Barriers to Reentry FREEDOM. REENTRY. EMPOWERMENT. Time Served is a nonprofit legal aid organization dedicated to empowering currently and formerly incarcerated individuals in South Carolina through free legal services and advocacy. Our mission is to rebuild lives, restore freedoms, and reunite individuals deeply impacted by the criminal justice system through compassionate legal advocacy and thoughtful systemic reform. Services for Incarcerated Persons Representation for release and reentry, focusing on parole, compassionate release, sentence reductions, medical advocacy, and support for families. Get Legal Services Services for Formerly Incarcerated Persons Assisting with record expungements, pardons, family law issues, housing, and employment to break cycles of poverty and provide stability. Get Reentry Support Systems-Change Advocacy Working with advocates and courts to advance justice reforms, including amicus briefings and collaborative events like Reawakening Hope. Partner With Us Our Impact Since opening our doors in November 2023, we have accomplished the following: Yolanda | CLIENT TESTIMONIAL Time Served gave me the confidence that I needed to move forward. The biggest barrier in my life is gone. Now, the only thing that is going to limit me is me.

Meet the dedicated Board of Directors behind Time Served, guiding our mission to provide second chances and empower individuals impacted by the justice system. Our Board of Directors The Board of Directors at Time Served brings together a diverse group of leaders committed to advancing justice and supporting meaningful change for formerly incarcerated individuals. Our board members work collaboratively to guide Time Served’s mission, championing innovative legal solutions and systems-change initiatives. Each board member is deeply invested in building pathways to opportunity and dignity for those affected by the criminal justice system, ensuring that Time Served remains a powerful advocate for equity, compassion, and lasting impact. Jerry Blassingame CHAIR Jerry Blassingame is founder and CEO of Soteria Community Development Corporation. He endeavors to empower individuals and the community as he advocates for economic and social justice through community and economic development. His passion is assisting individuals who have been incarcerated and helping them to become productive citizens. Jerry is a certified reentry specialist through the Institute of Prison Ministry at Wheaton College who advocates for systemic change nationally. One of his greatest accomplishments was to help pass Expungement Bill H3209 in South Carolina in 2018. He served as President of Correctional Ministries and Chaplain Association at Wheaton College from 2019 - 2022, is a 2019 fellow in the Aspen Institute’s Healthy Communities Initiative, a 2016 fellow of JustLeadershipUSA, and he received the Buck Mikel award for community development from the Greenville Chamber in 2019 and the United Way Spirit Award in 2023. Don Austin VICE CHAIR Don Austin currently serves as the Facilities Manager at the Triune Mercy Center. They share Christ’s love while meeting the physical needs of their parishioners and provide life-changing opportunities to the disadvantaged. Don has personally experienced mass incarceration in South Carolina, and he has benefitted from legal services that helped him break free of that cycle. In 1992, Don started to experience the cycles of addiction, poverty, incarceration, and homelessness. Eventually, Don was referred to United Ministries’ Place of Hope, a day shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Greenville. That’s where the seed was planted, and he was given lots of resources to help him get his life back together. He successfully completed the Overcomers and the C.S.R.C. substance abuse programs and was given a job at the Salvation Army. Don received a full pardon of his entire South Carolina record and dedicates his life now to helping others overcome the same obstacles he did. He has worked at Triune Mercy Center for 14 years, and he recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety. Taylor Gilliam SECRETARY Taylor Gilliam is secretary of the Time Served Board of Directors. After serving most recently as the Pro Bono Director at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Taylor is now an Assistant Federal Defender for the Columbia office. He is a 2011 graduate of The Citadel and received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2014. The current President of the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division, Taylor has previously served on various committees within the YLD and was named “Young Lawyer of the Year” in 2020. Prior to joining the law school, he was an Appellate Defender at the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense. Taylor has handled over 300 cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court, including 20 oral arguments. Taylor is also a graduate of the South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy, class of 2019. He is a former Chair of the Public Service Committee of the Richland County Bar Association which recently held its sixth annual “Practical Knowledge for Any Attorney” CLE.

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