summary
Introduced
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
In Committee
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
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 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, Among Other Things; By Amending Sections 7-5-170 And 7-5-185, Relating To Applications For Voter Registration, 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; 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 amends South Carolina's voter registration and party affiliation laws to establish new rules for primary elections and voter registration. It requires voters to be registered with a political party or as unaffiliated for at least 45 days prior to participating in a partisan primary or advisory referendum, and introduces a mechanism where unaffiliated voters automatically become registered with a party after voting in its primary. The bill mandates that voter registration forms include a place to declare party affiliation or unaffiliated status, with unaffiliated status being the default if no preference is specified. Additionally, the legislation shortens the candidate filing period, changes the date for filing party pledges, and restricts primary ballot access to those who have participated in recent statewide primaries of a specific party and are registered with that party at least 45 days before the candidate filing period. Political parties can waive these participation requirements through a resolution, and the State Election Commission is required to establish a voter education program about these new provisions. The changes will take effect for primaries conducted after March 31, 2026, with voter registration forms to be updated by October 1, 2025.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (12)
Wes Climer (R)*,
Tom Corbin (R),
Tom Davis (R),
Jason Elliott (R),
Tom Fernandez (R),
Billy Garrett (R),
Stephen Goldfinch (R),
Larry Grooms (R),
Carlisle Kennedy (R),
Josh Kimbrell (R),
Matthew Leber (R),
Jeffrey Zell (R),
Last Action
Referred to Committee on Judiciary (on 02/04/2025)
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=0305&session=126&summary=B |
| BillText | https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/305_20250204.htm |
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