Bill > S0038

This bill amends South Carolina's election laws to standardize the timing and procedures for special elections to fill vacancies in elected offices. The key provisions restrict special elections to specific dates throughout the year: the fourth Tuesday in January, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April, the second Tuesday in June (for primaries only in even-numbered years), the fourth Tuesday in August, and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The bill modifies the process for filing candidacy and conducting primaries and special elections when a vacancy occurs, including specific timelines for filing periods, primary elections, and runoff primaries. For instance, in partisan elections, the filing period opens twelve noon on the third Friday after a vacancy occurs and closes seven days later. Primaries would be held on the eleventh Tuesday after the vacancy, with a potential runoff two weeks later, and the special election on the first eligible date thereafter. The bill also addresses situations where multiple special elections occur in the same county, requiring them to be held on the same date. Additionally, the bill includes provisions that if a special election would occur less than 100 days before a general election (with an exception for U.S. House seats), no special election will be held. The changes aim to create more consistent and predictable scheduling for special elections across different types of offices in South Carolina.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=38&session=126&summary=B