DOJ deal with South Carolina protects Aug. 11 military/overseas ballots

The U.S. Department of Justice says it has reached an agreement with South Carolina election officials to protect voting rights for military members, their families, and Americans overseas under UOCAVA for a special federal Republican primary on Aug. 11, 2026—with a runoff only if necessary on Aug. 25, 2026.

Because UOCAVA voting depends on fast ballot transmission and a strict receipt deadline, the agreement matters immediately for eligible voters who may not receive mail on the usual schedule.

What the DOJ deal requires from South Carolina

In a July 21 announcement, DOJ said South Carolina will send UOCAVA ballots by Aug. 1, 2026 to eligible voters who have a standing request for UOCAVA ballots for all elections through December 2027.

DOJ also said the ballots must: include instructions showing UOCAVA voters can return ballots securely by electronic transmission; and be returned by Aug. 11, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern—whether by electronic transmission, express mail, or post.

Each ballot, DOJ said, includes instant runoff voting so UOCAVA voters can select a candidate for a potential runoff on Aug. 25.

Finally, the agreement sets outreach and publicity deadlines. DOJ said South Carolina must contact eligible UOCAVA voters who did not make a standing request by July 24, 2026, and publicize the special primary and runoff deadlines and the availability of the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot.

What South Carolina’s election commission says is changing

South Carolina’s Election Commission (SC Votes) summarized the same implementation timeline for counties and voters. It said it will:

• By July 24, 2026: contact UOCAVA voters to notify them of the special primary, potential runoff, and voting options.
• By July 25, 2026: publicize election deadlines and voting information for military and overseas voters.
• By Aug. 1, 2026: require counties to send ballots to all eligible UOCAVA voters who requested them (with instant runoff instructions for a potential Aug. 25 runoff).
• Make clear that completed ballots can be returned by electronic delivery, mail, or express delivery service—but must be received by county election officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Who UOCAVA covers—and what you should do next

UOCAVA is the federal voting framework designed to help uniformed service members, eligible family members, and U.S. citizens overseas vote by absentee ballot in federal elections (codified at 52 U.S.C. § 20302).

For this Aug. 11 special primary, the practical takeaway is timing:

• If you’re on a standing UOCAVA request, South Carolina is expected to send your ballot by Aug. 1. Plan to return it well before the Aug. 11, 7:00 p.m. ET receipt deadline.
• If you don’t have a standing request, DOJ said South Carolina must contact you by July 24 and offer to send ballots by electronic mail if you want to participate.
• If your ballot won’t arrive in time, vote.gov says you may be able to use the emergency Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)—depending on your state’s rules and eligibility conditions.

What other voters should watch next

Even though the Aug. 25 runoff is conditional, DOJ says the ballot setup is intended to let covered UOCAVA voters make a runoff choice if one is triggered.

Bottom line: Treat Aug. 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET as a receipt-by deadline, not a “mail-by” target. For election-specific instructions and help, start with your state election office guidance and vote.gov’s military/overseas voting resources.

Sources

• DOJ press release on the UOCAVA agreement (South Carolina)
• SC Votes agreement summary for voters and counties
• Vote.gov guide to military/overseas voting and FWAB fallback