NOTE: The information on this page was current as of the 2008 presidential elections, and might not be accurate for later elections. We are retaining this page for historical purposes only. For information related to the 2012 election, visit our revised state-by-state guide.

We have not analyzed South Carolina's laws regulating polling place activities yet, but we received the following communication from a South Carolina State Election Commission official: 

There is no statute explicitly prohibiting cameras in the polling place.  However, there are statutes dealing with voter intimidation, ballot secrecy, and keeping order in the polling place.  We do instruct poll managers to ask voters not to use cameras, cell phones, PDAs, etc in the polling places for several reasons:

• Out of courtesy to others.  Voters may be distracted or annoyed by other voters using these items.

• To prevent intimidation.  Voters can be intimidated by the use of a camera in a polling place.

• To protect the secrecy of the ballot.