Absentee voting is gaining steam in South Carolina, and election officials predict a record number of early ballots this year.

Voters who can’t make it to the polls Nov. 2 are being encouraged to register now so they can cast their ballots early.

“People are really starting to get into the absentee thing,” said Chelle Epps, a member of Richland County’s Board of Voter Registration.

Those eligible to vote absentee fit into many categories — vacationers, the elderly and military personnel serving overseas.

But South Carolina is not a “no excuse” state, so absentee voters must have one of 15 approved reasons for casting an early ballot.

Still, it’s more or less an honor system, and officials suspect not all absentee voters are on the level.

“A lot of people are just sick of standing in line on Election Day,” Epps said.

Nearly 100,000 South Carolinians voted absentee in the 2000 general election. In 2002, about 74,000 cast absentee ballots — a high number for a non-presidential-election year.

More than 2,500 absentee registration forms have poured into the Richland County election offices in the past few months.

In Lexington County, the election office is alerting many of the area’s retirement communities that it’s time to register for absentee ballots.

“Seniors make up most of the absentees, but there’s been a considerable increase this year in military voters,” said Ann Long, deputy director of the Lexington County board of elections.

The jump in military absentee voting should come as no surprise, as thousands of South Carolinians — active military, Guard and Reserve — are deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.

Ballots will be mailed in a few weeks to make sure there’s time to send them back before the election.

Voters should send ballots to county offices at least four days before the election. Any ballots received later will not be counted, S.C. Election Commission spokeswoman Hannah Majewski said.

Those concerned about what happens to the ballot once it’s sent should relax. Once returned to local election offices, ballots are stuffed into two envelopes — an extra layer of protection against election-night shenanigans, Majewski said.

Voters also can go to their county office a few weeks before the election and cast an early ballot on a machine in person. But those attempting to avoid lines could be in for a surprise.

“Once the machines get in place here, there will probably be a line to vote early,” Epps said.

Reach Stensland at (803) 771-8358 or jstensland@thestate.com.