South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 1075

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               1075
Ratification Number:       415
Act Number                 387
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Governing body to determine time for
                           filing nominating petition, etc.
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A387, R415, S1075)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 5-15-70, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY TO ESTABLISH BY ORDINANCE TIME REQUIREMENTS FOR NOMINATIONS, PRIMARIES, AND CONVENTIONS AND THE PERCENTAGE REQUIRED FOR NOMINATING PETITIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE ALL NOMINATING PETITIONS TO CONTAIN NO LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE OFFICE FOR WHICH HE OFFERS AS A CANDIDATE INSTEAD OF AUTHORIZING THE GOVERNING BODY TO DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PETITION, WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS, WHICH MUST BE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE MUNICIPALITY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 5-15-110, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT A NOMINATING PETITION BE FILED WITH THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION IN MUNICIPAL, SPECIAL, OR PARTISAN GENERAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE PETITION TO CONTAIN NO LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE OFFICE FOR WHICH THE CANDIDATE OFFERS INSTEAD OF THE MUNICIPALITY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Governing body to determine time for filing nominating petition, etc.

SECTION 1. The first paragraph of Section 5-15-70 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Each municipal governing body shall determine by ordinance the time for filing nominating petitions, holding primary elections or conventions, the time for entry of candidates for nominations in municipal party primary elections or conventions, the time for closing of entries, and the time and manner of filing by candidates in nonpartisan elections. The municipal governing body may determine by ordinance that either filing a statement of candidacy or a petition with the municipal election commission is required to place the name of the candidate on the ballot in nonpartisan general elections. However, no candidate's name may be placed on the ballot by petition in a general election conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-15-63. If the municipal council determines that the petition method is used, the percentage of electors required on these petitions may not be less than five percent of the qualified electors of the geographical area of the office for which he offers as a candidate."

Candidates to file petitions

SECTION 2. Section 5-15-110 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 5-15-110. Candidates for municipal offices in any special or partisan general election nominated by petition shall file the necessary petition with the municipal election commission forty-five days before the general or special election concerned. The commission shall examine the petition and determine its validity not later than thirty days before the general or special election concerned. A nomination petition must bear the signatures of not less than five percent of the qualified electors of the geographical area of the office for which he offers as a candidate."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.