The South Carolina State Election Commission (SEC) this week is sending out postcards to more than 120,000 inactive voters throughout the state. The purpose of the postcard is to reach out to voters who haven't voted in the past four years to determine if they still reside at the address where registered.

The majority of South Carolina's 2.6 million voters will not be affected by the mailing. Anyone who has voted in an election since November 2004 or registered to vote during that time will not receive the notice. Anyone who has not voted since November 2004 (about five percent of the state's registered voters) will receive the notice.

The SEC asks card recipients to respond by checking one of three boxes:

Please leave my name on the voter list

I moved and wish to have my name removed from the voter list in South Carolina

My address has changed (voters checking this box are asked to provide their new address)

Voters should sign, date and return the preaddressed, postage-paid postcard within 90 days. Voters who fail to return the postcard, and who do not vote in an election in the next four year, will be removed from the state's list of active, registered voters. However, those who have registered to vote and still live at the same address will remain eligible to vote, even if removed from the list of active voters.

Confirmation card mailings are conducted periodically

and in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.