summary
Introduced
01/14/2025
01/14/2025
In Committee
01/14/2025
01/14/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
126th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Adding Section 7-5-200 So As To, Among Other Things, Provide That Only Electors Registered As Affiliated With A Certified Political Party Or As Unaffiliated For A Certain Period Of Time May Participate In A Partisan Primary Or Advisory Referendum Held By That Party, And To Establish Processes By Which Electors Register Or Become Registered As Affiliated With A Political Party; By Amending Sections 7-5-170 And 7-5-185, Both Relating To Applications For Voter Registration, Both So As To Include Information Regarding An Applicant's Political Party Affiliation; By Amending Section 7-11-15, Relating To Qualifications To Run As A Candidate In General Elections, So As To Shorten The Candidate Filing Period, To Require All Candidates From Each Political Party In This State To Pay A Filing Fee, And To Authorize Political Parties To Charge A Certification Fee To All Candidates; By Amending Section 7-11-210, Relating To Filing Of Party Pledges By Candidates, So As To Change The Date By Which A Party Pledge Must Be Filed; And By Amending Section 7-13-40, Relating To The Certification Of Names By A Political Party To Be Placed On Primary Ballots, So As To Provide That Only Persons Who Have Participated In A Political Party's Recent Statewide Primaries And Are Registered As Affiliated With The Party For A Certain Period Of Time Are Eligible To Appear On The Ballot For That Party's Partisan Primary Unless The Party Has Taken Action To Waive These Requirements.
AI Summary
This bill introduces significant changes to voter registration and party affiliation rules in South Carolina, focusing on restricting primary election participation and establishing more stringent party membership requirements. Specifically, the bill mandates that voters must be registered as a member of a certified political party or as unaffiliated for at least 45 days before participating in a partisan primary or advisory referendum. When an unaffiliated voter casts a ballot in a primary, they automatically become registered with that party, and voters cannot participate in primaries for parties they are not registered with. The legislation also modifies voter registration forms to include political party affiliation, shortens the candidate filing period, requires all candidates to pay filing fees, and allows political parties to charge a certification fee. Additionally, the bill stipulates that candidates must have voted in two of the last three statewide primaries of their party and been registered with that party at least 45 days before the filing period to appear on the primary ballot, though parties can waive these requirements by resolution. The State Election Commission is tasked with creating a voter education program about these new provisions, and the changes will take effect for primaries conducted after March 31, 2026, with implementation of new forms to be completed by October 1, 2025.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (23)
Brandon Newton (R)*,
Phillip Bowers (R),
Mike Burns (R),
Don Chapman (R),
Bobby Cox (R),
Brandon Cox (R),
Heather Crawford (R),
Sylleste Davis (R),
Craig Gagnon (R),
Daniel Gibson (R),
Val Guest (R),
Brandon Guffey (R),
Chris Hart (D),
Kathy Landing (R),
John McCravy (R),
Mike Neese (R),
Luke Rankin (R),
Blake Sanders (R),
Heath Sessions (R),
Mark Smith (R),
Bill Taylor (R),
James Teeple (R),
Paul Wickensimer (R),
Last Action
Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: J.E.Johnson (on 01/29/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3643&session=126&summary=B |
| Fiscal Note - H3643 2025-01-14 Introduced | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/fiscalimpactstatements/H3643%202025-01-14%20introduced.pdf |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3643_20250205.htm |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3643_20241212.htm |
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