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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 improve lives and promote justice by providing comprehensive legal support and working to dismantle extreme sentencing, especially for vulnerable populations whose involvement in the criminal system often stems from underlying traumas and injustices. 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, 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.

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Learn about Time Served’s mission to support individuals impacted by the justice system. We provide advocacy, resources, and opportunities to help build brighter futures. About Us Our Story Time Served was founded in 2023 by a team of passionate women lawyers with combined decades of experience in the criminal legal system. Time Served is a South Carolina-grown legal aid organization designed to meet the needs of those most impacted by mass incarceration in our state. Our clients have already overcome immense hurdles, survived traumas, and are ready to be wholly restored to the community. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing legal services and systems-change advocacy for South Carolinians with prior criminal system involvement. Our clients’ needs vary, from record cleaning for old charges that are still holding them back and family reunification assistance after incarceration, to medical release or parole representation after decades in prison. Time Served provides legal services free of charge, because we believe that finding the money to hire a lawyer shouldn’t be another barrier that system-impacted people have to overcome in order to break free of the cycle of mass incarceration. OUR MISSION Our Mission Our mission is to improve the lives of currently and formerly incarcerated South Carolinians through direct legal services and litigation, and to dismantle extreme sentencing in South Carolina, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations whose criminal system involvement was rooted in part in other traumas and injustices they have experienced. OUR TEAM Our Team Allison Elder EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR More About Allison Megan Powell DEPUTY DIRECTOR More About Megan Amanda Belfiore REENTRY LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEY More About Amanda Mar'Quez ("Mo") Oglesby PARALEGAL More About Mar'Quez Ndayishimiye "Flo" Florence DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE More About Flo Debbie Kasle VOLUNTEER More About Debbie Kaylie Stapleton VOLUNTEER PARALEGAL More About Kaylie