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Civic Engagement

Supports and extends the efforts of the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement.

Civic Engagement at USC Upstate supports and extends the efforts of the Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement by promoting non-partisan awareness of, and involvement in, multiple aspects of the electoral process, primarily for students, but tangentially including faculty, staff, and the greater community.

Three primary goals for Civic Engagement are:

  • Raising awareness of the importance of our democratic process
  • Assisting with voter registration and motivation to be involved in elections
  • Educating our community concerning issues and candidates at both local and national levels

For questions, comments, or more information, please email CivicEngagement@uscupstate.edu

  • Post Election Forum

    Wednesday, Dec 2 at 2:30PM

    Virtual Event. To attend, click https://bit.ly/USCUP_Post-Election 

    Provide your input and ask questions at

    https://bit.ly/USCUP_Post-Election-Questions

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  • This is your one-stop shop for election related action. 

    Pledge to vote, find out how to vote, find out what's on the ballot, explore the issues, and more at My.VoteEverywhere at University of South Carolina Upstate

  • Interested in getting involved in Civic Engagement?  Here are several ways you can get involved today:

    • Become a poll worker.  
    • Join the student organization Engage Upstate to help promote civic engagement on campus
    • Have your student organization hold a voter registration drive 
  • Amid all the chaos of 2020, our nation responded to the census. As of mid-fall 2020, South Carolina finished the census period with a self-report rate of 61%. We now await final tabulation and verification.

    Census data is used to determine our representation in congress and to guide funding choices for $1.5 trillion (that's $1,500,000,000,000) every year. Types of funding include Pell grants, federal student loans, educational support, school lunches, SNAP & WIC programs, support for hospitals, firefighters, workforce development, highway construction, and other community-building efforts.

  • USC Upstate is one of about 1,000 colleges and universities that participate in the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE). The study is conducted by the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.

    As can be seen by examining the reports, Upstate has a large number of students registered to vote and participating in elections. Civic Engagement seeks to improve these numbers even more by continuing to encourage student involvement.

    Download the 2020 report Download PDF

    Download the 2018 report Download PDF

    Download the 2016 report Download PDF

    Download the 2012/2014 report Download PDF 

Voting FAQ

I need to register for the first time. Where do I go?

For South Carolina residents: visit www.scvotes.org, select voters and register to vote. Follow the instructions on the website to complete your voter registration.

For out-of-state residents: visit www.usa.gov/register-to-vote for more information on how to register to vote in your state.

I live on campus and am not from Spartanburg, can I register to vote using my on-campus address?

Yes! When filling out the voter registration application, use the following address: 470 Hodge Drive, PMB # (enter actual number) Spartanburg, SC 29303.

I have moved since the last time I registered. How do I change my registration?

For South Carolina residents: visit www.scvotes.org, select voters and register to vote. Follow the instructions on the website to complete your voter registration.

Make sure you have updated your information with the SC DMV prior to updating your voter registration information.

For out-of-state residents: visit www.usa.gov/register-to-vote for more information on how to register to vote in your state.

How do I check my voter registration status and find my polling location?

For South Carolina Residents: visit www.scvotes.org, select voter and check your voter registration.

For out-of-state residents, visit www.usa.gov/register-to-vote#item-212825 to find a list of state or local elections offices to verify your registration status.

Who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot?

For South Carolina Residents: visit www.scvotes.org, select voters and absentee voting for a list of who is eligible and instructions for requesting and submitting absentee ballots.

For Out-of-State Residents, visit www.usa.gov/register-to-vote#item-37337 for information regarding absentee voting in your state.

How do I request an absentee ballot?

For voters registered in South Carolina:
In person (deadline: November 7, 2016 at 5 p.m.)
Visit the county voter registration office in your county of residence, complete an application, and cast your ballot.

By mail (deadline: November 4, 2016)
Visit www.scvotes.org, select voters and absentee voting. Click on the “Get the application online” link.

For individuals registered in a state other than South Carolina:
Visit www.usa.gov/register-to-vote#item-37337 for more information about requesting absentee ballots for your state.