As used in this article:
(1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Coast Guard, or any of their respective components.
(2) "Members of the Merchant Marine of the United States" means all officers and men engaged in maritime service on board ships.
(3) "Students" means all persons residing outside of the counties of their respective residences, enrolled in an institution of learning.
(4) "Physically disabled person" means a person who, because of injury or illness, cannot be present in person at his voting place on election day.
(5) "Registration form" means Standard Form 76, or a subsequent form replacing it, authorized by the federal government or the state form described in Section 7-15-120.
(6) "Persons in employment" means those persons who by virtue of their employment obligations are unable to vote in person.
(7) "Authorized representative" means a registered elector who, with the voter's permission, acts on behalf of a voter unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability resulting in his confinement in a hospital, sanatorium, nursing home, or place of residence, or a voter unable because of a physical handicap to go to his polling place or because of a handicap is unable to vote at his polling place due to existing architectural barriers that deny him physical access to the polling place, voting booth, or voting apparatus or machinery. Under no circumstance shall a candidate, a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff, or a campaign volunteer be considered an "authorized representative" of an elector desiring to vote by absentee ballot.
(8) "Immediate family" means a person's spouse, parents, children, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, and mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law.
(9) "Overseas citizen" means a citizen of the United States residing outside of the United States as specified by Section 7-15-110.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-441; 1953 (48) 423; 1966 (54) 2376; 1973 (58) 73; 1975 (59) 815; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No; 266, Sections 5, 6, eff January 27, 1984; 2000 Act No. 392, Section 10, eff August 1, 2000; 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 4, eff June 11, 2015; 2022 Act No. 150 (S.108), Section 36, eff May 13, 2022.
Effect of Amendment
2022 Act No. 150, Section 36, in (7), in the second sentence, substituted ", a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff, or a campaign volunteer" for "or a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff or volunteers reimbursed for the time they expend on campaign activity".
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting
Section 7-15-10. Duties of State Election Commission.
Section 7-15-20. Construction.
Section 7-15-110. Persons qualified to register to vote by absentee ballot.
Section 7-15-120. Registration forms.
Section 7-15-200. Furnishing of election materials to persons requesting absentee ballots.
Section 7-15-210. Specifications for return-addressed envelopes.
Section 7-15-220. Signing and witnessing of oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception.
Section 7-15-260. Responsibilities of political parties conducting municipal primary; expenses.
Section 7-15-310. Definitions.
Section 7-15-320. Persons qualified to vote by absentee ballot.
Section 7-15-330. Time of application for absentee ballot; application in person.
Section 7-15-340. Form of application for absentee ballot.
Section 7-15-360. Furnishing ballots and envelopes.
Section 7-15-375. Return envelope for absentee ballot.
Section 7-15-380. Oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception.
Section 7-15-385. Marking ballots; return; storage; penalty for violations.
Section 7-15-390. Absentee balloting in primary and special elections; municipal elections.
Section 7-15-395. Responsibilities of political parties; expenses.
Section 7-15-400. Issuing absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots.
Section 7-15-410. Absentee voting precinct established in each county; location.
Section 7-15-420. Receipt, tabulation, and reporting of absentee ballots.
Section 7-15-440. List of persons issued and who cast absentee ballots.
Section 7-15-450. Application of article.
Section 7-15-600. Short title.
Section 7-15-610. Definitions.
Section 7-15-620. Eligible voters may utilize absentee ballot process.
Section 7-15-630. Application for special write-in absentee ballot; qualifications; issuance.
Section 7-15-640. Application to register to vote.
Section 7-15-650. Absentee instant runoff ballots; instructions; regulations.
Section 7-15-660. Voting precinct assignment.
Section 7-15-670. Declaration by covered voter.
Section 7-15-680. Sending absentee ballot to covered voter.
Section 7-15-690. Duty of State Election Commission; regulations.
Section 7-15-700. Delivery of valid military-overseas ballot; declaration of voter.
Section 7-15-710. Ballot to include signed declaration by voter.
Section 7-15-720. Electronic free-access system.
Section 7-15-740. Preparation of election notices.
Section 7-15-750. Effect of mistakes or omissions in document completion; notarization.