Bill 2162

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2162
Ratification Number:       94
Act Number                 59
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Absentee voting

(A59, R94, H2162)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-385, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ABSENTEE VOTING, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE ENVELOPE IN WHICH A VOTER PLACES AN ABSENTEE BALLOT MUST BE MARKED "BALLOT HEREIN", TO PROVIDE THAT THE ENVELOPE MAY BE DELIVERED PERSONALLY, BY MAIL, OR BY AN AUTHORIZED PERSON, AND TO PROVIDE A PROCEDURE FOR DELIVERY BY AN AUTHORIZED PERSON.

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

Absentee ballot envelopes

SECTION 1. Section 7-15-385 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-15-385. Upon receipt of the ballot or ballots the absentee ballot applicant shall mark each ballot on which he wishes to vote and place each ballot in the single envelope marked 'Ballot Herein' which in turn must be placed in the return-addressed envelope. The applicant shall then return such return-addressed envelope to the board of registration by mail, by personal delivery, or by authorizing another person to return the envelope for him. The authorization must be given in writing on a form prescribed by the State Election Commission and must be turned over to the board of registration at the time the envelope is returned. The form must be signed by the voter or by someone designated by the voter in the event the voter cannot write due to a physical handicap or illiteracy. The authorization must be preserved as part of the record of the election and the board of registration shall note the authorization and the name of the authorized returnee in the record book required by Section 7-15-330. A candidate or a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff including volunteers reimbursed for time expended on campaign activity is not permitted to serve as an authorized returnee for any person unless the person is a member of the voter's immediate family as defined in Section 7-15-310. The oath set forth in Section 7-15-380 must be signed and witnessed on each returned envelope. The board of registration shall record in the record book required by Section 7-15-330 the date the return-addressed envelope with witnessed oath and enclosed ballot or ballots is received by the board. The board shall securely store the envelopes in a locked box within the office of the registration board."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.