Bill > S0124

This bill amends South Carolina election law to provide guidelines for accessing voted ballots and cast vote records while maintaining voter privacy. The bill allows for the release of de-identified cast vote records (electronic records of ballot selections) through specific channels, including court orders, orders from election boards during election protests or investigations, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. It explicitly requires that any released documents must not reveal a voter's identity, with election officials mandated to redact personally identifying information. The bill defines "cast vote records" as electronic ballot selection records retained on vote-counting machines. Anyone who improperly discloses how an individual voted can be charged with a misdemeanor, facing potential fines up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment between 10 and 90 days. Additionally, the bill updates the state's definition of "public record" to explicitly include cast vote records, with the same privacy protections. The amendments aim to balance transparency in election processes with protecting individual voter privacy, ensuring that while certain election records can be accessed, the confidentiality of individual voting choices remains protected.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=124&session=126&summary=B