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Published: Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 / Updated: Monday, Oct. 29, 2012 03:16 PM

It’s important to vote

It has been a long campaign season and I am certain everyone is ready for the election to be over.

I know I am.

I am hoping that every resident who is a registered voter will vote for whomever they choose on Nov. 6. I work at the polls, so hopefully we will be ready for the big crowds. I thought maybe it would help if I listed a few of the fast facts to make the process go a little faster:

• Before you get into the polling place be sure you have the proper I.D. with you - which is a current S.C. Driver License or an identification card containing a photo issued by the South Carolina Department of Safety, Division of the DMV or a voter registration card. If you don’t have one of these with you, you will have to go back home, get it, return and get in the long line one more time.

• It is illegal for a husband and wife who are capable of voting separately to enter the voting booth together for the purpose of voting. You must vote in separate booths.

• Any voter because of a disability or age 65 or older who is unable to stand in line may vote outside of the polling place in the closest available parking space marked “Curbside.” When the manager is informed that a voter is elderly or disabled they must present his or her ID. If they are on the poll list, two poll managers will go outside with the poll list and bring the voting terminal to the vehicle, enabling them to vote.

• Children under the age of 17 are welcome to go into the voting booths with their parents.

• It is unlawful on Election Day for any person to distribute or display any type of campaign literature or place posters within 200 feet of any entrance used by voters to enter the polling place. This includes hats, T-shirts, pins and buttons.

• There are 2,677,766 million registered voters in South Carolina as of July 2011. Only 38.3 percent voted in November 2012. Let’s do better than this.

See you at the polls.