Immediately upon the closing of the polls at any municipal election, the managers shall count publicly the votes cast and make a statement of the whole number of votes cast in such election together with the number of votes cast for each candidate for mayor and councilman and transmit this information to the municipal election commission. In partisan elections the person securing the highest number of votes for mayor shall be declared elected and the councilmen shall be selected by the following methods:
(a) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, the persons receiving the highest number of votes in number equal to the number to be chosen shall be declared elected.
(b) When the councilmen are to be elected from each ward and are required to be residents of that ward, the person receiving the highest number of votes in that ward shall be declared elected.
(c) When some councilmen are to be elected from each ward and required to be residents of that ward and the remainder of the councilmen to be elected at large, those persons receiving the highest number of votes in each ward shall be declared elected and those persons running at large who receive the highest number of votes in number equal to the number to be chosen at large shall be declared elected.
(d) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, but required to reside in a particular ward, the person receiving the highest number of votes for the seat to be filled shall be declared elected.
(e) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, but some are required to be residents of particular wards and other councilmen may not be so required, the person receiving the highest number of votes for the seat to be filled shall be declared elected.
Newly elected officers shall not be qualified until at least forty-eight hours after the closing of the polls and in the case a contest is finally filed the incumbents shall hold over until the contest is finally determined.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 47-100; 1975 (59) 692; 1977 Act No. 81, Section 5.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 5 - Municipal Corporations
Chapter 15 - Nominations And Elections For Municipal Offices
Section 5-15-10. Municipal primary, general and special elections conducted mutatis mutandi.
Section 5-15-20. Methods of election of council; mayor elected at large; qualifications.
Section 5-15-30. Procedure for changing number of or method of election of council members.
Section 5-15-40. Terms of office of mayor and councilmen.
Section 5-15-61. Determination of election results under nonpartisan plurality method.
Section 5-15-80. Results of political party primaries; protests and contests.
Section 5-15-100. Functions, powers and duties of municipal election commission.
Section 5-15-120. Vote counting.
Section 5-15-125. Municipal elections resulting in tie.
Section 5-15-130. Procedures for contesting results of election.
Section 5-15-150. Oath of office for mayor and councilmen.
Section 5-15-160. Term of office of commissioner of public works may be extended.