South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 7 - Elections

Section 7-1-60. Each multiple office is separate and distinct; candidate is to qualify for one specific office; ballots for multiple offices. - Each multiple office in this State shall constitute a separate...

Section 7-1-70. Catawba Indians, otherwise qualified, are citizens. - All Catawba Indians, otherwise qualified, are hereby declared to be...

Section 7-1-80. Liability of broadcasting station for defamatory statement by candidate. - The owner, licensee or operator of a visual or sound...

Section 7-1-100. Availability to media of local ballot question and simplified explanation. - (A) If a countywide or less than countywide referendum is...

Section 7-1-110. Election law challenges. - (A) The President of the Senate, on behalf of the...

Chapter 3 - State Election Commission; Central Registration System

Section 7-3-10. State Election Commission created; appointment; term; composition; vacancies; chairman; meetings; powers and duties; eligibility. - (A) There is hereby created the State Election Commission composed...

Section 7-3-20. Executive director of the State Election Commission. - (A) The State Election Commission shall appoint an executive director,...

Section 7-3-25. Noncompliant county boards of voter registration and elections. - (A) In the event that the State Election Commission, acting...

Section 7-3-30. Notice of deletion of elector's name from roster of electors; appeal by elector; restoration of name. - (a) The executive director shall notify by mail each elector...

Section 7-3-40. Reports to be furnished by Bureau of Vital Statistics. - The Bureau of Vital Statistics must furnish the executive director...

Section 7-3-45. Reports of mentally incapacitated persons. - Each county probate court must furnish to the Executive Director...

Section 7-3-50. Information to be furnished by boards. - Each county board of voter registration and elections must furnish...

Section 7-3-60. Clerks and magistrates shall report persons convicted of certain offenses. - The clerks of the courts of common pleas and general...

Section 7-3-70. Reports furnished by Department of Motor Vehicles. - (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles must furnish the executive...

Chapter 5 - Qualifications And Registration Of Electors

Section 7-5-10. Appointment of board members; previous offices abolished; training and certification requirements. - (A)(1) The Governor shall appoint, upon the recommendation of the...

Section 7-5-20. Deputy members of boards. - The board of voter registration and elections of each county...

Section 7-5-30. Duties of boards. - Such boards shall register and conduct the registration of the...

Section 7-5-40. Supplements to counties to help defray expenses of registration office. - Each county shall receive an annual supplement from the State...

Section 7-5-50. Prohibition on private funds. - Notwithstanding another provision of law, the State Election Commission and...

Section 7-5-110. Persons must register in order to vote. - No person shall be allowed to vote at any election...

Section 7-5-120. Qualifications for registration; persons disqualified from registering or voting. - (A) Every citizen of this State and the United States...

Section 7-5-125. Written notification of registration. - (A) Any person who applies for registration to vote and...

Section 7-5-130. Time and place where books must be kept open for registration. - The books of registration shall be open at each county...

Section 7-5-140. Additional days and hours for registration; notice of time and place. - Boards of voter registration and elections shall remain open as...

Section 7-5-150. Closing registration books; registration of persons coming of age while books closed. - The registration books shall be closed thirty days before each...

Section 7-5-155. Registration of electors by mail. - (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following procedures...

Section 7-5-160. Voter registration; permanent registration. - Effective July 1, 1976, any person who is registered to...

Section 7-5-170. Necessity for written application for registration; information to be contain on form; oaths; decisions on applications. - (1) Written application required. A person may not be registered...

Section 7-5-175. Providing voter registration application forms to high school administration. - The board of voter registration and elections in each county,...

Section 7-5-180. Procedure for registration when qualification is completed after closing books. - Except as otherwise provided by law, a person who has...

Section 7-5-185. Electronic applications for voter registration. - (A) A person who is qualified to register to vote...

Section 7-5-186. Statewide voter registration database. - (A) The State Election Commission shall establish and maintain a...

Section 7-5-190. Security measures. - The State Election Commission shall ensure that voter registration information,...

Section 7-5-210. Physically disabled persons may execute forms by mark. - In cases of inability to write on account of physical...

Section 7-5-220. Certificates invalid at election within thirty days of issuance. - Except as provided in Section 7-5-150, registration made thirty days...

Section 7-5-230. Legal qualifications; challenges; proof of residency or domicile; appeals. - (A) The county boards of voter registration and elections to...

Section 7-5-240. Proceedings on appeal in court of common pleas. - Any person denied registration or restoration of his name on...

Section 7-5-250. Right to and proceedings on further appeal to Supreme Court. - From the decision of the court of common pleas or...

Section 7-5-280. State Election Commission shall furnish registration forms. - The applications provided for in this article as well as...

Section 7-5-310. Definitions; designations. - (A) As used in this article: (1) "Voter registration agency"...

Section 7-5-320. Application for motor vehicle driver's license and voter registration. - (A)(1) Each state motor vehicle driver's license application, including a...

Section 7-5-325. Address changes given under oath; fraud; penalties. - Any change of address submitted by an elector for registration...

Section 7-5-330. Completion, receipt, and disposition of voter registration application; discretionary removal of elector. - (A) In the case of registration with a motor vehicle...

Section 7-5-340. Duties of State Election Commission, removal of elector from official list. - (A) The State Election Commission shall: (1) ensure that the...

Section 7-5-350. Annual voter list maintenance report. - The State Election Commission shall report to the General Assembly...

Section 7-5-410. Maintenance and inspection of official registration records. - Each county board of voter registration and elections shall deposit...

Section 7-5-420. Lists of voters for party primaries. - Immediately preceding each party primary election the board of voter...

Section 7-5-430. Books for general and special elections. - Immediately preceding each general election or any special election, the...

Section 7-5-440. Failure to notify county board of voter registration and elections of change in address. - (A) A qualified elector who has moved from an address...

Section 7-5-460. Custody of books and return after election. - The commissioners of election or the county committee, as the...

Section 7-5-470. Division of registration books into sections. - The county board of voter registration and elections may divide...

Section 7-5-610. Citizens entitled to vote in municipal elections. - Every citizen of this State and of the United States:...

Section 7-5-620. Production of identification and proof of residence. - The production of a valid South Carolina driver's license or...

Section 7-5-630. Municipal registration or enrollment not required. - There shall be no registration or enrollment required for voting...

Section 7-5-660. Preparation of registration books. - The Executive Director of the State Election Commission must, along...

Section 7-5-670. Use and custody of registration books. - The books of registration must be prepared and turned over...

Section 7-5-675. Voter registration cards; use. - The State Elections Commission shall implement a system in order...

Chapter 7 - Polling Precincts And Voting Places

Section 7-7-10. Voting precincts established. - For the purpose of holding any general, primary, or special...

Section 7-7-15. Notice of change in polling place. - When a polling place established by statute or ordinance or...

Section 7-7-30. Designation of voting precincts in Abbeville County. - (A) In Abbeville County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-40. Designation of voting precincts in Aiken County. - (A) In Aiken County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-50. Designation of voting precincts in Allendale County. - (A) In Allendale County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-55. Establishment of polling places in Allendale County. - The polling places for the precincts provided in Section 7-7-50...

Section 7-7-80. Designation of voting precincts in Anderson County. - (A) In Anderson County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-90. Designation of voting precincts in Bamberg County. - (A) In Bamberg County the voting precincts are as follows:...

Section 7-7-100. Designation of voting precincts in Barnwell County. - (A) In Barnwell County there shall be voting precincts as...

Section 7-7-110. Designation of voting precincts in Beaufort County. - (A) In Beaufort County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-120. Designation of voting precincts in Berkeley County. - (A) In Berkeley County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-130. Designation of voting precincts in Calhoun County. - (A) In Calhoun County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-140. Designation of voting precincts in Charleston County. - (A) In Charleston County there are the following precincts: Awendaw...

Section 7-7-160. Designation of voting precincts in Cherokee County. - (A) In Cherokee County there are voting precincts as follows:...

Section 7-7-170. Designation of voting precincts in Chester County. - (A) In Chester County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-180. Designation of voting precincts in Chesterfield County. - (A) In Chesterfield County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-190. Designation of voting precincts in Clarendon County. - (A) In Clarendon County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-200. Designation of voting precincts in Colleton County. - (A) In Colleton County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-210. Designation of voting precincts in Darlington County. - (A) In Darlington County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-220. Designation of voting precincts in Dillon County. - (A) In Dillon County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-230. Designation of voting precincts in Dorchester County. - (A) In Dorchester County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-240. Designation of voting precincts in Edgefield County. - (A) In Edgefield County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-250. Designation of voting precincts in Fairfield County. - In Fairfield County there are the following voting precincts: Centerville;...

Section 7-7-260. Designation of voting precincts in Florence County. - (A) In Florence County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-270. Designation of voting precincts in Georgetown County. - (A) In Georgetown County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-280. Designation of voting precincts in Greenville County. - (A) In Greenville County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-290. Designation of voting precincts in Greenwood County. - (A) In Greenwood County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-300. Designation of voting precincts in Hampton County. - (A) In Hampton County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-310. Preparation of registration books for Estill precinct. - The registration books for the Estill Precinct shall be prepared...

Section 7-7-320. Designation of voting precincts in Horry County. - (A) In Horry County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-330. Designation of voting precincts in Jasper County. - (A) In Jasper County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-340. Designation of voting precincts in Kershaw County. - (A) In Kershaw County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-350. Designation of voting precincts in Lancaster County. - (A) In Lancaster County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-360. Designation of voting precincts in Laurens County. - (A) In Laurens County there are the following precincts: Bailey...

Section 7-7-370. Designation of voting precincts in Lee County. - (A)(1) In Lee County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-380. Designation of voting precincts in Lexington County. - (A) In Lexington County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-390. Designation of voting precincts in McCormick County. - In McCormick County there are the following voting precincts: Mt....

Section 7-7-400. Designation of voting precincts in Marion County. - In Marion County there shall be the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-410. Designation of voting precincts in Marlboro County. - (A) In Marlboro County there are the following precincts: (1)...

Section 7-7-420. Designation of voting precincts in Newberry County. - (A) In Newberry County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-430. Designation of voting precincts in Oconee County. - (A) In Oconee County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-440. Designation of voting precincts in Orangeburg County. - (A) In Orangeburg County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-450. Designation of voting precincts in Pickens County. - (A) In Pickens County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-465. Designation of voting precincts in Richland County. - (A) In Richland County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-480. Designation of voting precincts in Saluda County. - (A) In Saluda County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-490. Designation of voting precincts in Spartanburg County. - (A) In Spartanburg County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-501. Designation of voting precincts in Sumter County. - (A) In Sumter County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-510. Designation of voting precincts in Union County. - (A) In Union County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-520. Designation of voting precincts in Williamsburg County. - (A) In Williamsburg County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-530. Designation of voting precincts in York County. - (A) In York County there are the following voting precincts:...

Section 7-7-710. State Election Commission shall report certain precincts to General Assembly for alteration; alteration by county boards of voter registration and elections where General Assembly fails to act. - The State Election Commission shall report the names of all...

Section 7-7-720. Notification to persons whose registration is transferred; removal from registration books of person whose notification is returned undelivered; restoration of name. - (A) A person whose registration is transferred to another precinct...

Section 7-7-730. Division of precincts having more than 750 electors. - When a precinct has more than seven hundred fifty registered...

Section 7-7-910. Designated polling places; alternative polling place. - (A) Subject to the provisions of Section 7-7-920 and Section...

Section 7-7-920. Places where electors shall vote in municipal elections. - In all municipal elections when the aldermen or councilmen are...

Section 7-7-940. Procedure upon removal of elector from one precinct to another. - In case of the moving of a registered elector from...

Section 7-7-950. Procedure when new precinct is established. - When a new voting precinct is established by law, the...

Section 7-7-960. Procedure upon change of ward or precinct boundaries; effect of annexation of part of county to municipality divided into wards. - (a) Any elector whose precinct or ward is changed by...

Section 7-7-970. Change of location of voting place or name of precinct. - When one voting place has been changed to another in...

Section 7-7-980. Registration of officers and their spouses temporarily residing at capital or county seat. - Federal, state and county officers and their spouses temporarily residing...

Section 7-7-990. Barrier-free polling places for physically handicapped electors; criteria and procedures for use. - A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county board...

Section 7-7-1000. Pooling precincts in municipal elections. - (A) For purposes of municipal general elections only, a municipality...

Chapter 9 - Party Organization

Section 7-9-10. Certification and decertification of political parties. - Political parties desiring to nominate candidates for offices to be...

Section 7-9-20. Qualifications for party membership and voting in primary election. - The qualifications for membership in a certified party and for...

Section 7-9-70. County conventions. - A county convention must be held during a twelve-month period...

Section 7-9-80. County conventions; organization and conduct of business. - Each county convention shall be called to order by the...

Section 7-9-90. State committee. - The state committee is composed of one member from each...

Section 7-9-100. State convention. - The state convention shall meet at a location in this...

Section 7-9-105. Use of state funds for state conventions prohibited. - No state funds shall in any manner be used for...

Section 7-9-110. Conducting elections or primaries in facilities receiving state funds. - A political party or the State Election Commission may conduct...

Chapter 11 - Designation And Nomination Of Candidates

Section 7-11-10. Methods of nominating candidates. - Section effective until January 1, 2023. See, also, Section 7-11-10...

Section 7-11-10. Methods of nominating candidates. - Section effective January 1, 2023. See, also, Section 7-11-10 effective...

Section 7-11-12. Joint election of Governor and Lieutenant Governor; qualifications; procedures. - (A) A person nominated for the Office of Governor by...

Section 7-11-15. Qualifications to run as a candidate in general elections. - (A) In order to qualify as a candidate to run...

Section 7-11-20. Conduct of party conventions or party primary elections generally; presidential preference primaries. - (A) Except as provided in subsection (B), party conventions or...

Section 7-11-25. Advisory primaries conducted by political party. - Nothing in this chapter nor any other provision of law...

Section 7-11-30. Convention nomination of candidates. - (A) A party may choose to change from nomination of...

Section 7-11-40. Names and addresses of candidates for House of Representatives reported to State Election Commission. - Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a political party...

Section 7-11-50. Substitution when party nominee dies, becomes disqualified, or resigns for legitimate nonpolitical reason. - If a party nominee who was nominated by a method...

Section 7-11-53. Nomination of substitute candidate. - If the executive committee of a political party substitutes a...

Section 7-11-55. Substitution of candidates when nominee selected by primary election. - If a party nominee dies, becomes disqualified after his nomination,...

Section 7-11-70. Nomination by petition. - A candidate's nominating petition for any office in this State...

Section 7-11-71. Petitions in election for commissioners of public service districts. - Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7-11-70, petitions to nominate candidates...

Section 7-11-80. Form of nominating petition. - All nominating petitions for any political office or petition of...

Section 7-11-85. Verification of petition; bases for rejection of petitioners. - Every signature on a petition requiring five hundred or less...

Section 7-11-90. Unopposed candidates. - After the closing of entries if any candidates shall be...

Section 7-11-210. Notice of candidacy and pledge. - Every candidate for selection as a nominee of any political...

Section 7-11-420. Amounts and proration of assessments to be paid by candidates for State Senator in multi-county districts. - In multi-county senatorial districts, the amounts of assessments to be...

Chapter 13 - Conduct Of Elections

Section 7-13-10. Time of general elections for federal, state, and county officers; conduct of general and special elections. - General elections for Federal, State and county officers in this...

Section 7-13-15. Primaries to be conducted by State Election Commission and county boards of voter registration and elections on second Tuesday in June; filing fees. - (A) This section does not apply to municipal primaries. (B)...

Section 7-13-20. Time of general election for certain county officers. - There shall be a general election for county supervisors, county...

Section 7-13-25. Early voting. - (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or Chapter 5...

Section 7-13-30. Time of election of probate judges. - The probate judge in every county shall be elected at...

Section 7-13-35. Notice of general, municipal, special, and primary elections. - The authority charged by law with conducting an election must...

Section 7-13-40. Time of party primary; certification of names; verification of candidates' qualifications; filing fee. - In the event that a party nominates candidates by party...

Section 7-13-45. Acceptance of filings. - In every general election year, the Executive Director of the...

Section 7-13-50. Second and other primaries. - A second primary, when necessary, must be held two weeks...

Section 7-13-60. Hours polls open. - The polls must be opened at seven o'clock a.m. and...

Section 7-13-72. Managers of election. - For the general election held on the first Tuesday following...

Section 7-13-75. Members of local boards of voter registration and elections; political activity prohibited. - No member of a county or municipal board of voter...

Section 7-13-80. Organization of voter registration and elections; managers and clerks; oaths. - The board members, managers, and clerks at their first meeting,...

Section 7-13-100. Managers shall take oath before opening polls. - The managers before opening the polls, shall take and sign...

Section 7-13-110. Residency requirements of chairmen, clerks, and managers of elections. - Each chairman and clerk appointed from among the managers of...

Section 7-13-120. Candidates and their relatives may not be managers or clerks. - (1) It shall be unlawful for a candidate or the...

Section 7-13-130. Managers' table; guard rail; general arrangement; preservation of right to vote and secrecy of ballot. - The polling places shall be provided with a table for...

Section 7-13-140. Maintenance of order; police powers of managers. - Managers of election are clothed with such police powers as...

Section 7-13-150. Penalty for failure to assist in maintaining order. - Any person who, when summoned or called upon by peace...

Section 7-13-160. Peace officers shall enter polling place only on request or to vote. - No sheriff, deputy sheriff, policeman or other officers shall be...

Section 7-13-170. Procedure when managers fail to attend, take charge of, or conduct election. - If all of the managers fail to attend at the...

Section 7-13-180. Posting proposed constitutional amendments at polling place. - Whenever an amendment to the Constitution of this State shall...

Section 7-13-190. Special elections to fill vacancies in office. - (A) Except as otherwise provided in this code as to...

Section 7-13-310. Kinds of general election ballots; different colored paper to be used. - In the general elections provided for in Section 7-13-10, there...

Section 7-13-315. Joint election of Governor and Lieutenant Governor; single vote. - The State Election Commission shall ensure that the Governor and...

Section 7-13-320. Ballot standards and specifications. - General election ballots shall conform to the following standards and...

Section 7-13-325. Use of candidate's given name, derivative of, or nickname on ballot. - The name of a candidate authorized by law to appear...

Section 7-13-330. Form of ballot; instructions. - The arrangement of general election ballots containing the names of...

Section 7-13-335. Arrangement of names on certain ballots. - The State Election Commission or the local entity responsible for...

Section 7-13-340. Printing and distribution of ballots. - All ballots cast in general elections for national, State, county,...

Section 7-13-350. Certification of candidates; verification of qualifications. - (A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the nominees...

Section 7-13-351. Nominees by petition. - Any nominee by petition for one or more of the...

Section 7-13-352. Date by which statement of candidacy must be filed; verification of candidates' qualifications. - Any candidate for a nonpartisan office, multi-county district, countywide, or...

Section 7-13-355. Time for submitting question to election commission for submission as referendum to electors. - No question may be submitted to the qualified electors in...

Section 7-13-360. Place on ballot for write-in names. - The ballots shall also contain a place for voters to...

Section 7-13-370. Death, withdrawal, or disqualification of candidate after name printed on ballot. - If any candidate dies, withdraws or otherwise becomes disqualified after...

Section 7-13-380. Reprinting ballots to delete name of deceased or withdrawn candidate is optional. - After the official ballots have been printed by the proper...

Section 7-13-390. Limitations on withdrawal of candidacy. - After the proper officer, board of voter registration and elections...

Section 7-13-400. Form of ballot when questions are submitted. - The form of ballot in an election on the issuance...

Section 7-13-410. Ballots where both statewide and local constitutional amendments are submitted. - Whenever at any general election proposed amendments to the Constitution...

Section 7-13-420. Oath of printer of ballots and assistants. - The printer with whom the executive director, board of voter...

Section 7-13-430. Ballots provided where voting machines not used; substitute ballots; penalties for failure to provide; failsafe ballots. - (A) There must be provided for each voting place where...

Section 7-13-440. Repealed. - HISTORY: Former Section, titled Voting machine ballots; arrangement of nominations,...

Section 7-13-450. Use of voting machines does not prohibit use of separate ballots on certain questions. - The use of voting machines in an election shall not...

Section 7-13-460. Use of paper ballots. - (A) In special elections to fill vacancies in office, if...

Section 7-13-610. Ballot specifications; separate ballots for each party. - (A) The State Election Commission and the respective county boards...

Section 7-13-611. Arrangement of official county and state primary ballots. - The arrangement of each "Official County Ballot" for each primary,...

Section 7-13-710. Proof of right to vote; signing poll list; comparison of signatures; provisional ballot; purpose of requirement. - (A) When a person presents himself to vote, he shall...

Section 7-13-720. Oath of voter. - In the event the oath is not printed at the...

Section 7-13-730. Delivery and marking of ballot; deposit into ballot box. - If the managers are reasonably sure that the person is...

Section 7-13-740. Number and construction of booths; only one voter in booth at a time; speaking to voter prohibited. - There must be provided at each polling precinct at least...

Section 7-13-760. Time when voter must leave booth and voting place; voter must be alone in booth and must not talk while voting. - No voter, while receiving, preparing and casting his ballot, shall...

Section 7-13-770. Unauthorized persons within guard rails; voters requiring assistance; minor children of qualified elector accompanying parent into booth. - (A) A person other than a voter preparing his ballot...

Section 7-13-771. Voting by handicapped and elderly electors who cannot enter the polling place or cannot stand in line to vote. - (A) Any elector who, because of physical handicap or age,...

Section 7-13-780. Designation of voters who may receive assistance. - Only those persons who are unable to read or write...

Section 7-13-790. Substitute for marred or defaced ballot. - If a voter shall mar or deface his ballot, he...

Section 7-13-800. Write-ins to be in handwriting of voter or authorized manager. - In casting a write-in ballot, the voter shall cast it...

Section 7-13-810. Prevention of illegal voting or taking too much time; challenging voters. - The managers of election shall prevent any person from voting...

Section 7-13-820. Voting by person whose name is not on registration book. - When any person presents himself with a valid South Carolina...

Section 7-13-825. Location of requirements to challenge a ballot. - The State Election Commission and each county board of voter...

Section 7-13-830. Procedure when voter challenged. - When any person is so challenged, the manager must explain...

Section 7-13-840. Ballot boxes; number, location, construction, color, labeling. - There shall be provided for each voting place a sufficient...

Section 7-13-850. Closing polls; voters waiting may vote. - At the time for closing the polls the chairman of...

Section 7-13-860. Watchers; appointment, qualifications, identification, and conduct. - Each candidate who is not unopposed in a primary and...

Section 7-13-1010. Additional oath of voters. - The managers at each box shall require every voter to...

Section 7-13-1020. Absentee voting not permitted in primaries; exceptions. - Absentee enrollment and absentee voting may not be provided for...

Section 7-13-1030. Voting by National Guard when on duty. - In case the National Guard of South Carolina is called...

Section 7-13-1040. No person may vote in more than one primary on same day. - No person shall be entitled to vote in more than...

Section 7-13-1110. Counting ballots and declaration of result; volunteer personnel may assist. - At the close of the election the managers and clerk...

Section 7-13-1120. Disposition of improperly marked ballots. - If a voter marks more names than there are persons...

Section 7-13-1130. Disposition of ballots found in wrong box and ballots folded together. - If ballots shall be found on opening the box, upon...

Section 7-13-1140. Procedure when too many ballots found in box or too many votes tabulated. - If more ballots shall be found on opening the box...

Section 7-13-1150. Accounting for ballots after election; returns; delivery of poll lists and other matters; unused ballots. - When the canvassing and counting of the votes are completed,...

Section 7-13-1160. Reporting of election results to State Election Commission. - Within twenty-four hours of the completion of the canvassing and...

Section 7-13-1170. Ordering of new election by Governor. - When any election official of any political subdivision of this...

Section 7-13-1320. Use of vote recorders in certain precincts; use of vote recorders of different kinds; number and capacity of vote records. - (a) The use of an optical scan voting system may...

Section 7-13-1330. Vote recorders and optical scan voting systems; approval process; duration and changes. - (A) Before a decision is made to procure a statewide...

Section 7-13-1340. Requirements for vote recorders or optical scan voting devices. - A vote recorder or optical scan voting device must not...

Section 7-13-1350. Payment for vote recorders. - The governing body of any county which adopts vote recorders...

Section 7-13-1360. Form and contents of ballot labels; primary elections. - (a) The ballot labels shall be printed in black ink,...

Section 7-13-1370. Ballot cards. - Ballot cards shall be of suitable design, size and stock,...

Section 7-13-1371. Ballot cards used in conjunction with optical scanning device; instructions. - (A) Ballot cards used in conjunction with an optical scanning...

Section 7-13-1380. Write-in votes. - Electors shall be permitted to cast write-in votes. The design...

Section 7-13-1390. Labeling, preparation, and testing of vote recorders; custodians and deputies; examination by interested persons. - (a) The election officials of each county shall cause the...

Section 7-13-1400. Delivery of vote recorders; duties of officials at polling places. - (a) The county election officials shall deliver the proper vote...

Section 7-13-1410. Duties of officials after closing of polls; review of ballots; duplicate ballots. - Immediately following the closing of the polls, the manager shall:...

Section 7-13-1420. Observation by poll watchers after polls close. - Poll watchers shall be allowed to remain in the polling...

Section 7-13-1430. Counting stations; processing and counting of ballots and preparation of summary sheets. - In counties where marking devices and automatic tabulating equipment have...

Section 7-13-1440. Witnesses are to observe at counting station. - Witnesses shall not be allowed in the polling place but...

Section 7-13-1450. Public display of vote recorders preceding election. - During the thirty days next preceding a general election or...

Section 7-13-1460. Use of paper ballots where use of vote recorders is not possible or practicable. - If a method of election for any candidate or office...

Section 7-13-1470. Procedure when vote recorder becomes out of order. - If any vote recorder being used in any election shall...

Section 7-13-1480. Custody, storage, and care of vote recorders. - The county election officials shall designate a person who shall...

Section 7-13-1490. Regulations, instructions, and forms. - The State Election Commission shall adopt and promulgate such regulations...

Section 7-13-1500. Oath of person preparing or operating tabulating devices. - Any person who prepares or operates the tabulating devices in...

Section 7-13-1610. State Board of Voting Machine Commissioners. - The Board of State Canvassers shall, ex officio, constitute the...

Section 7-13-1620. Voting system approval process. - (A) Before any kind of voting system, including an electronic...

Section 7-13-1640. Voting machine requirements. - (A) Any kind or type of voting machine may be...

Section 7-13-1650. Experimental use of voting machines. - The governing body of any county, city or town may...

Section 7-13-1655. "Voting system" defined; State Election Commission duties. - (A) As used in this section, "voting system" means: (1)...

Section 7-13-1670. Demonstrations with machines for instruction of voters. - In any county, city or town in which voting machines...

Section 7-13-1680. Number of voting machines; type and use; repair; custody. - The governing body of any county or municipality providing voting...

Section 7-13-1690. Employment and qualifications of custodians of voting machines. - For the purpose of placing ballots in the frames of...

Section 7-13-1700. Instruction of managers and clerks in use of machines; appointment of manager or clerk in emergency. - Not more than thirty days before each primary or general...

Section 7-13-1710. Voting machine ballots; arrangement of nominations. - In every county, city or town providing voting machines, the...

Section 7-13-1720. Unopposed candidates in primaries. - In any party primary in which voting machines shall be...

Section 7-13-1730. Use of separate ballots on constitutional amendments and other public measures. - Nothing in this article shall be construed as prohibiting the...

Section 7-13-1740. Sample or instruction ballots. - The board of voter registration and elections or other electoral...

Section 7-13-1750. Preparation of machines for elections; party representatives may examine machines. - Before preparing a voting machine for an election at which...

Section 7-13-1760. The boards of voter registration and elections shall see that machines and other equipment are in place and good order. - The board of voter registration and elections or other electoral...

Section 7-13-1770. Duties of managers prior to opening polls; when machines may not be used for voting purposes. - The managers of each election precinct at which a voting...

Section 7-13-1780. Placement of voting machines in polling places. - At all elections at which voting machines are used the...

Section 7-13-1790. Lights and screens. - Every voting machine shall be furnished with a lantern or...

Section 7-13-1800. Inspection of machines; covering of counter compartment kept locked; attendance at voting places. - One of the managers of election may inspect the face...

Section 7-13-1810. Instructions of voters by model machine at polling place. - For the instruction of voters on any election day, there...

Section 7-13-1820. Persons within guard rail; time permitted voters to vote. - After the opening of the polls, the managers of election...

Section 7-13-1830. Instruction after voter has entered machine. - In case any voter, after entering the voting machine, shall...

Section 7-13-1840. Assistance may be given to voters. - The provisions of this Title relating to the assistance to...

Section 7-13-1850. Write-in ballots. - Ballots voted for any person whose name does not appear...

Section 7-13-1860. Duty to protect machines against injury. - After the voting machines have been delivered to the polling...

Section 7-13-1870. Procedure when voting machine becomes inoperative. - In case any voting machine used in any election district...

Section 7-13-1880. Canvass and return of vote; return of provisional and failsafe ballots. - As soon as the polls of election are closed, the...

Section 7-13-1890. Machines shall remain locked after election; certification of managers or election; verification of results of election. - A sealed envelope having endorsed thereon a certificate of the...

Section 7-13-1900. Use of voting machines for primary elections. - If in any county, city or town voting machines shall...

Section 7-13-1910. Possession of voting machine key by unauthorized person. - Any unauthorized person found in possession of any voting machine...

Section 7-13-1920. Tampering with voting machine. - Any person who wilfully tampers with or attempts to tamper...

Section 7-13-1930. Other provisions of this Title applicable to use of voting machines. - All of the provisions of this Title not inconsistent with...

Section 7-13-2110. Authorization of simplified or more detailed explanation of proposed constitutional amendments. - In addition to all other requirements of law and the...

Section 7-13-2120. Constitutional Ballot Commission. - To establish an agency to determine whether or not a...

Section 7-13-2130. Jurisdiction of proceedings challenging explanations. - The State Supreme Court shall have exclusive and original jurisdiction...

Section 7-13-2210. General or special election. - If any general election or special election, other than a...

Section 7-13-2220. Primary election. - If any primary election, other than a nonpartisan municipal primary...

Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting

Section 7-15-10. Duties of State Election Commission. - The State Election Commission is responsible for carrying out the...

Section 7-15-20. Construction. - Article 3, Article 5, and Article 9 of this chapter...

Section 7-15-110. Persons qualified to register to vote by absentee ballot. - The following persons are qualified to register to vote using...

Section 7-15-120. Registration forms. - Persons listed in Section 7-15-110, their spouses, and dependents residing...

Section 7-15-175. Article shall not be construed as allowing registration after books have been closed. - Except as provided in Section 7-5-150, nothing in this article...

Section 7-15-200. Furnishing of election materials to persons requesting absentee ballots. - Upon receipt of the list of names the county committee,...

Section 7-15-210. Specifications for return-addressed envelopes. - The return-addressed envelope required by item (4) of Section 7-15-200...

Section 7-15-220. Signing and witnessing of oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception. - (A) The oath, a copy of which is required by...

Section 7-15-230. Marking and return of ballot; ballot shall not be counted unless oath signed and ballot returned prior to closing of polls. - Upon receipt of the ballot or ballots the absentee ballot...

Section 7-15-260. Responsibilities of political parties conducting municipal primary; expenses. - Any political party conducting a municipal primary in this State...

Section 7-15-310. Definitions. - As used in this article: (1) "Members of the Armed...

Section 7-15-320. Persons qualified to vote by absentee ballot. - (A) Qualified electors in the following categories who are unable...

Section 7-15-330. Time of application for absentee ballot; application in person. - (A) To vote by absentee ballot: (1) a qualified elector...

Section 7-15-340. Form of application for absentee ballot. - The application required in Section 7-15-330 to be submitted to...

Section 7-15-360. Furnishing ballots and envelopes. - The board of registration of each county must be furnished...

Section 7-15-365. Ballots and instructions furnished by county board of voter registration and elections. - The board of voter registration and elections of each county...

Section 7-15-370. Furnishing ballots and envelopes; duties of county board of voter registration and elections. - Upon receipt of the ballots and envelopes, the county board...

Section 7-15-375. Return envelope for absentee ballot. - The return-addressed envelope required by item (4) of Section 7-15-370...

Section 7-15-380. Oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception. - (A) The oath, which is required by Section 7-15-370 to...

Section 7-15-385. Marking ballots; return; storage; penalty for violations. - (A) Upon receipt of the ballot or ballots, the absentee...

Section 7-15-390. Absentee balloting in primary and special elections; municipal elections. - Absentee balloting in the primary, special, and municipal elections must...

Section 7-15-395. Responsibilities of political parties; expenses. - Any political party conducting a primary in this State is...

Section 7-15-400. Issuing absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots. - No absentee ballot application or absentee ballot may be provided...

Section 7-15-410. Absentee voting precinct established in each county; location. - In each county there must be established an absentee voting...

Section 7-15-420. Receipt, tabulation, and reporting of absentee ballots. - (A) The county board of voter registration and elections, municipal...

Section 7-15-430. Absentee voters noted on registration lists; voting by persons who have been issued absentee ballots. - (A) Prior to the distribution of voter registration lists to...

Section 7-15-440. List of persons issued and who cast absentee ballots. - The county board of voter registration and elections shall, after...

Section 7-15-450. Application of article. - This article applies to political parties holding a primary and...

Section 7-15-470. Repealed. - HISTORY: Former Section, titled Absentee ballots other than paper ballots,...

Section 7-15-600. Short title. - This article may be cited as the "South Carolina Uniform...

Section 7-15-610. Definitions. - As used in this article: (1) "Members of the Armed...

Section 7-15-620. Eligible voters may utilize absentee ballot process. - Notwithstanding other provisions of law, a voter who meets the...

Section 7-15-630. Application for special write-in absentee ballot; qualifications; issuance. - (A) A qualified elector of this State who is eligible...

Section 7-15-640. Application to register to vote. - (A) A covered voter may use a federal postcard application,...

Section 7-15-650. Absentee instant runoff ballots; instructions; regulations. - (A) For the qualified electors of this State who are...

Section 7-15-660. Voting precinct assignment. - An overseas voter who is registering to vote, and who...

Section 7-15-670. Declaration by covered voter. - (A) A covered voter may use the declaration accompanying a...

Section 7-15-680. Sending absentee ballot to covered voter. - An absentee ballot must be sent to a covered voter,...

Section 7-15-690. Duty of State Election Commission; regulations. - (A) To ensure that all South Carolina residents eligible to...

Section 7-15-700. Delivery of valid military-overseas ballot; declaration of voter. - (A) A valid military-overseas ballot must be counted if it...

Section 7-15-710. Ballot to include signed declaration by voter. - A military-overseas ballot must include, or be accompanied by, a...

Section 7-15-720. Electronic free-access system. - The Executive Director of the State Election Commission, in coordination...

Section 7-15-730. Request for electronic-mail address; standing request for electronic delivery of ballot. - (A) The county board of voter registration and elections or...

Section 7-15-740. Preparation of election notices. - (A) At least one hundred days before a regularly scheduled...

Section 7-15-750. Effect of mistakes or omissions in document completion; notarization. - (A) If a covered voter's mistake or omission in the...

Section 7-15-760. Equitable relief. - A court may issue an injunction or grant other equitable...

Chapter 17 - Canvass Of Votes; Certificates And Records Of Results

Section 7-17-10. Meeting and organization of county boards of canvassers. - The commissioners of election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, state...

Section 7-17-20. Canvass of votes. - The county board of canvassers, respectively, shall then proceed to...

Section 7-17-30. Protests and contests. - The county boards shall decide all cases under protest or...

Section 7-17-40. Poll lists shall accompany ballots in protests. - The poll list of each polling place in a general,...

Section 7-17-50. Hearings on protests or contests. - The board shall hear the protest or contest on Monday...

Section 7-17-60. Right to and notice of appeal from decision of county board. - The decision of the county board may be appealed to...

Section 7-17-70. Hearing of appeals. - Unless otherwise provided in Section 7-3-10(c), the state board must...

Section 7-17-80. Statements and returns. - The boards of county canvassers shall make such statements of...

Section 7-17-90. Duplicate statements filed with clerk of county. - Except in the case of the election for electors for...

Section 7-17-100. Separate statements of votes given for each candidate. - The board of county canvassers shall make separate statements of...

Section 7-17-210. State Election Commission constitutes board. - The State Election Commission shall, ex officio, constitute the Board...

Section 7-17-220. Meeting of board; telecommunication or electronic communication; public access. - Unless otherwise provided in Section 7-3-10(c), the Board of State...

Section 7-17-230. Power to adjourn; procedure when all certified statements have not been received. - The Board shall have power to adjourn from day to...

Section 7-17-240. Board shall make certified statement of all votes cast. - The Board when thus formed shall, upon the certified copies...

Section 7-17-250. Board shall declare persons elected and decide contested or protested cases; appeals. - Upon such statements the Board shall then proceed to determine...

Section 7-17-260. Cases decided by state board; filing and service. - The state board shall decide all cases under protest or...

Section 7-17-270. Hearing of protest or contest; procedure at hearing; notice of decision; appeals. - The board, acting in a judicial capacity, shall hear the...

Section 7-17-275. Petitioning Supreme Court for costs and attorney's fees associated with election protest. - (A) A party opposing an election protest that prevails at...

Section 7-17-280. Mandatory recounts. - Whenever the difference between the number of votes received by...

Section 7-17-290. Certificate of determination delivered to Secretary of State. - The Board shall make and subscribe, on the proper statement,...

Section 7-17-300. Secretary of State shall record result of canvass. - The Secretary of State shall record in his office, in...

Section 7-17-310. Copies of determinations transmitted to persons elected and Governor. - The Secretary of State shall, without delay, transmit a copy,...

Section 7-17-320. Statements printed in public newspapers. - The Secretary of State shall cause a copy of such...

Section 7-17-330. Certain certificates of election sent to Congress. - The Secretary of State shall prepare a general certificate, under...

Section 7-17-340. Record of elected county officers. - The Secretary of State shall enter in a book to...

Section 7-17-510. Convening of county board of voter registration and elections as county boards of canvassers; canvass and certification of primary results; canvass and declaration of results by Board of State Canvassers; telecommunication or electr... - The board of voter registration and elections for the counties...

Section 7-17-520. Protests and contests generally; filing and service. - The protests and contests in the case of county officers...

Section 7-17-530. Hearing by county executive committee. - The executive committee shall hear the protest or contest on...

Section 7-17-540. Right to and notice of appeal from decision of county executive committee. - The decision of the county executive committee may be appealed...

Section 7-17-550. Hearing of appeals by state executive committee. - The state executive committee must meet in Columbia not later...

Section 7-17-560. State executive committee to hear certain protests and contests; place of hearing; filing; notice and service. - The state executive committee must meet in Columbia at such...

Section 7-17-570. Procedure for hearing protest or contest; notice of decision. - The executive committee shall hear the protest or contest on...

Section 7-17-580. Appeal of protests and contests in municipal primaries. - In every political primary election held by any political party,...

Section 7-17-590. Board of State Canvassers for Municipal Primaries. - The State executive committee of every political party in this...

Section 7-17-600. No candidate shall be declared nominated in first primary without majority vote. - No candidate shall be declared nominated in a first primary...

Section 7-17-610. What constitutes majority vote. - It is the intent of the South Carolina General Assembly...

Section 7-17-620. Unopposed candidates declared nominees. - All unopposed candidates in primary elections shall be declared the...

Section 7-17-700. Continuation of protest in event of death of candidate in primary or nonpartisan election. - If any candidate in a primary or nonpartisan election dies...

Section 7-17-710. Continuation of protest in event of death of candidate in special or general election. - If any candidate in a special or general election dies...

Chapter 19 - Special Provisions Applicable To Federal Elections

Section 7-19-10. Election of United States Senators. - A United States Senator shall be elected at the general...

Section 7-19-20. Filling vacancies in office of United States Senator. - In case of a vacancy in the office of United...

Section 7-19-30. Election of Representatives in Congress. - Representatives in the House of Representatives of the Congress of...

Section 7-19-35. Division of state into congressional districts. - This section is repealed, but continues to apply for purposes...

Section 7-19-45. Division of state into seven congressional districts. - The State is divided into seven congressional districts as follows:...

Section 7-19-50. Each congressional district shall elect one member of Congress; procedure after new apportionment. - Until the next apportionment be made by the Congress of...

Section 7-19-60. Writs of election in case State is given more representatives. - In case the Congress of the United States shall by...

Section 7-19-70. Election of presidential electors; certificates of appointment. - Unless otherwise provided, the election of presidential electors shall be...

Section 7-19-80. Candidate for elector shall declare for which candidates he will vote; elector shall vote for candidates for whom he declared. - Each candidate for presidential and vice-presidential elector shall declare which...

Section 7-19-90. Meeting of electors; organization; balloting and certification of results. - The electors for President and Vice President shall convene at...

Section 7-19-100. Disposition of certificates and lists. - The electors shall dispose of the certificates so made by...

Section 7-19-110. Compensation and expenses of electors. - Every elector for this State for the election of a...

Section 7-19-120. Duties of state officials. - The Governor, Secretary of State and other State officers shall...

Chapter 21 - Special Provisions Applicable To Election Of State Senators And Members Of House Of Representatives

Section 7-21-10. No person shall seek more than one office of State Senator in any year. - No person shall be permitted to seek more than one...

Section 7-21-20. Elections for State Senator shall be district-wide. - The election for the office of State Senator in all...

Section 7-21-50. Application of provisions of this Title to office of State Senator and member of House of Representatives. - All of the provisions of Title 7 of the 1976...

Chapter 23 - Election Expenses

Section 7-23-10. Expenses of general election officers. - Each commissioner or board member of state and county general...

Section 7-23-20. Payment for notices of election. - Notices of election published in any public gazette or county...

Section 7-23-40. Expenses payable by counties. - The governing bodies of the several counties shall audit and...

Chapter 25 - Offenses Against The Election Laws

Section 7-25-10. False swearing in applying for registration. - It is unlawful for a person to falsely swear in...

Section 7-25-20. Fraudulent registration or voting. - It is unlawful for a person to fraudulently: (1) procure...

Section 7-25-30. Public reporting hotline. - The State Law Enforcement Division shall establish a public reporting...

Section 7-25-50. Bribery at elections; unlawful to accept bribery. - It is unlawful for a person to procure, by the...

Section 7-25-60. Procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery. - (A) It is unlawful for a person at any election...

Section 7-25-65. Unlawful acceptance of anything of value. - (A) It is unlawful for a person to provide, offer...

Section 7-25-70. Procuring or offering to procure votes by threats. - It is unlawful for a person, by threats or any...

Section 7-25-80. Threatening, intimidating, or abusing voters. - A person who, at any of the elections, general, special,...

Section 7-25-100. Allowing ballot to be seen, removing ballot from voting place, improper assistance, and related offenses. - (A) It is unlawful in any election for a voter...

Section 7-25-110. Voting more than once at elections. - It is unlawful for a person qualified to vote at...

Section 7-25-120. Impersonating a voter. - It is unlawful for a person to impersonate or attempt...

Section 7-25-130. Arrest of person who impersonates a voter. - If any manager of election of this State report to...

Section 7-25-140. Copies of certain election laws may be posted. - The authority responsible under law for conducting a party primary...

Section 7-25-150. Swearing falsely at elections or taking oath in another's name. - Any voter who shall swear falsely at any election, general,...

Section 7-25-160. Wilful neglect or corrupt conduct on part of poll managers. - A manager at any general, special, or primary election in...

Section 7-25-170. Wilful neglect or corrupt conduct by officers other than managers. - An officer, other than a manager at any election, on...

Section 7-25-180. Unlawful distribution of campaign literature. - (A) It is unlawful for a person to distribute any...

Section 7-25-190. Illegal conduct at elections generally. - A person who votes at any general, special, or primary...

Section 7-25-200. Unlawful inducement to file for or withdraw from candidacy for election. - (A) It is unlawful to offer or accept, or attempt...

Section 7-25-210. Vandalizing or removing political campaign sign; exceptions; penalty. - (A) It is unlawful to deface, vandalize, tamper with, or...

Section 7-25-220. Immunity of poll workers. - A poll worker, whether or not compensated, while acting pursuant...

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South Carolina Code of Laws Title 7 - Elections

South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 7 - Elections