Retirement

South Carolina's active voter registration has held roughly flat at about 3.4 million since 2022, even as the state's population grew by an estimated 281,300 people (5.3%) over the same period, according to state Election Commission data. More than 1.1 million voters have been shifted to "inactive" status since December 2021 for reasons including moving, death, felony convictions, or most commonly, failing to respond to a confirmation postcard after skipping two general elections. Inactive voters remain on the rolls and can reactivate by voting or updating information, but are not automatically counted in headline registration totals.

A South Carolina ACLU report found counties with larger non-White populations saw steeper declines in active registration and higher removal rates than majority-White counties, though officials could not pinpoint a cause. Advocates point to communication gaps in rural, lower-income areas as a likely factor. The registration deadline for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 4, with early voting beginning Oct. 19, and voter-registration drives are underway statewide ahead of the deadline.

South Carolina's population grew roughly 5.3% between 2022 and 2025, adding about 281,300 residents, but active voter registration has stayed essentially flat at around 3.4 million people, according to state Election Commission data. More than 1.1 million registered voters have been shifted to "inactive" status since December 2021 for reasons including moving, death, felony convictions, or most commonly, failing to respond to a confirmation postcard after skipping two general elections. Inactive voters remain on the rolls and can reactivate by voting or updating their information.

A South Carolina ACLU report found counties with larger non-White populations saw steeper declines in active registration and higher removal rates than majority-White counties, though officials could not pinpoint a cause. The League of Women Voters points to weaker communication and lower internet access in poorer, rural areas as contributing factors, alongside possible voter apathy among newcomers like retirees. The Election Commission says it tracks registration by race and age but cannot determine why groups register at different rates. The state's registration deadline for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 4, with early voting beginning Oct. 19.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who earlier this year moved to deny state tax-deferred status to newly created "Trump Accounts" for newborns, has reversed course. In July he signed SB180, requiring California to treat the federal accounts the same as other IRAs for state tax purposes. Newsom is now promoting the accounts alongside the state's own CalKIDS program, which he launched in 2022 and has compared to Hillary Clinton's proposed "baby bonds."

Trump Accounts provide a $1,000 initial investment for American-born children to save for college, while CalKIDS offers smaller amounts, $100 or $25 depending on birth year, but is open to children regardless of immigration status if they are enrolled in public schools. Newsom announced a new partnership with Invest America, the organization behind the Trump Accounts, calling on employers and philanthropists to make donations split between a child's CalKIDS and Trump Account. State Treasurer Fiona Ma is leading outreach efforts for the initiative, which critics say could face scrutiny over eligibility and fund allocation.