A person's vote may be challenged for several reasons. It may be challenged based on the person's right to vote in the precinct, his qualifications to vote, or the absence of his name on the registration list and the manager's inability to verify with the county election commission that he is registered to vote in that precinct.(SC Code) If the person insists on his right to vote in that precinct, he may vote a challenged ballot, which will be placed in an envelope and kept separate and apart from the other ballots pending a hearing on the validity of the ballot.(SC Code) The voter must be told at the time of voting a challenged ballot when the hearing on his challenged ballot will be held. (SC Case Law)
Challenged ballots are not counted at the polls. They are to be kept separate and apart from the other ballots until a hearing can be held to determine if the ballots should be counted. At the time a person votes a challenged ballot, he must be given notice of the time and place of the hearing. (SC Case Law)If it is determined at the hearing that the ballot should be counted, it will be taken out of the challenged envelope, placed with the other challenged ballots, and counted. The challenged ballots are counted separately and added to the total vote tallies for the candidates. (SC Code)