Current Status Introducing Body:Senate Bill Number:581 Primary Sponsor:Williams Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Elections, absentee ballots Residing Body:House Computer Document Number:581 Introduced Date:19930323 Date of Last Amendment:19930408 Last History Body:House Last History Date:19940525 Last History Type:Recalled from Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Williams Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved
____ ______ ____________ ______________________________ ___ ____________
581 House 19940525 Recalled from Committee 25
581 House 19930413 Introduced, read first time, 25
referred to Committee
581 Senate 19930409 Read third time, sent to House
581 Senate 19930408 Amended, read second time,
unanimous consent for third
reading on Friday, April 9,
1993
581 Senate 19930407 Committee Report: Favorable 11
with amendment
581 Senate 19930323 Introduced, read first time, 11
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
RECALLED
May 25, 1994
S. 581
S. Printed 5/25/94--H.
Read the first time April 13, 1993.
TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-150, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE CLOSING OF REGISTRATION BOOKS BEFORE ELECTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER WHO HAS BEEN HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMED FORCES OR WHO HAS BEEN SEPARATED FROM HIS SERVICE OVERSEAS AND RETURNED HOME TOO LATE TO REGISTER AT THE TIME WHEN REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED IS ENTITLED TO REGISTER FOR THE PURPOSE OF VOTING IN THE NEXT ENSUING ELECTION AFTER SUCH DISCHARGE OR SEPARATION FROM SERVICE UP TO 5:00 P.M. ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-320, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ELECTORS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS ATTENDING SICK OR PHYSICALLY DISABLED PERSONS, PERSONS SERVING AS JURORS IN A STATE OR FEDERAL COURT ON ELECTION DAY, AND PERSONS SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER MAY VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 7-5-150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 7-5-150. The registration books shall be closed thirty days before each election, but only as to that election or any second race or runoff resulting from that election, and shall remain closed until such election shall have taken place, anything in this article to the contrary notwithstanding; provided, that the registration books shall be closed thirty days before the June primary and shall remain closed until after the second primary and shall likewise be closed thirty days before the November general election. They shall thereafter be opened from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this article. It is further provided that any person eligible to register who has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States, or who has been separated from his service overseas and returned home too late to register at the time when registration is required is entitled to register for the purpose of voting in the next ensuing election after such discharge or separation from service up to 5:00 p.m. on the day of the election. Such application for registration must be made at the office of the board of voter registration in the county in which such person wishes to register, and if qualified, the person must be issued a registration notification stating the precinct in which he is entitled to vote and a certification to the managers of such precinct that he is entitled to vote and should be placed on the registration rolls of the precinct. Such persons as shall become of age during any such period of thirty days shall be entitled to registration before the closing of the books if otherwise qualified."
SECTION 2. Section 7-15-320 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by act number 489 of 1992, is further amended to read:
"Section 7-15-320. A qualified elector in any of the following categories must be permitted to vote by absentee ballot in all elections when he is absent from his county of residence on election day during the hours the polls are open, to an extent that it prevents him from voting in person except that physically disabled persons, persons attending sick or physically disabled persons, poll managers, county voter registration board members and staff, and county election commission members and staff working on election day, a person admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of an election or within a four-day period before an election, persons serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day, persons seventy-two years of age or older and persons whose employment obligations required that they be at their place of employment during the hours that the polls are open and present written certification of that obligation, signed by their employer, to the county registration board may vote by absentee ballot whether or not absent from their county of residence:
(1) students, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;
(2) members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;
(3) persons serving with the American Red Cross or with the United Service Organizations who are attached to and serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;
(4) persons in employment;
(5) physically disabled persons;
(6) governmental employees, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;
(7) electors with a death or funeral in the family within a three-day period before the election;
(8) persons on vacation (who by virtue of vacation plans will be absent from their county of residence on election day);
(9) poll managers, county voter registration board members and staff, county election commission members and staff working on election day;
(10) overseas citizens;
(11) persons attending sick or physically disabled persons;
(12) persons admitted to hospitals as emergency patients on the day of an election or within a four-day period before the election;
(13) persons who will be serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day;
(14) persons seventy-two years of age or older."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.