Bill 3140

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    3140
Ratification Number:            376
Act Number:                     316
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19950110
Primary Sponsor:                McTeer 
All Sponsors:                   McTeer, Lloyd 
Drafted Document Number:        PT\1577DW.95
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19960501
Date of Last Amendment:         19960423
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19960520
Subject:                        Voting machine

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

------  19960530  Act No. A316
------  19960520  Signed by Governor
------  19960514  Ratified R376
House   19960501  Concurred in Senate amendment, 
                  enrolled for ratification
Senate  19960429  Read third time, returned to House
                  with amendment
Senate  19960423  Amended, read second time
Senate  19960417  Committee report: Favorable with         11 SJ
                  amendment
Senate  19950207  Introduced, read first time,             11 SJ
                  referred to Committee
House   19950202  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19950201  Amended, read second time
House   19950125  Debate adjourned until
                  Wednesday, 19950201
House   19950124  Debate adjourned until
                  Wednesday, 19950125
House   19950124  Objection by Representative                      Moody-                   Lawrence
                                                                   White
House   19950124  Amended
House   19950118  Committee report: Favorable with         25 HJ
                  amendment
House   19950110  Introduced, read first time,             25 HJ
                  referred to Committee
House   19941221  Prefiled, referred to Committee          25 HJ

(A316, R376, H3140)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-1640, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO VOTING MACHINE REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF VOTING MACHINE COMMISSIONERS BE PROVIDED WITH EITHER AN ILLUSTRATION OR A MECHANICAL MODEL WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE MANNER OF VOTING ON THE MACHINE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-1810, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT THERE MUST BE PROVIDED ON ELECTION DAY A MECHANICALLY OPERATED MODEL OF A VOTING MACHINE FOR INSTRUCTION OF VOTERS, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE AN ILLUSTRATION OR MECHANICALLY OPERATED MODEL BE PROVIDED FOR INSTRUCTION OF VOTERS.

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

Requirements for voting machines; illustration authorized

SECTION 1. Section 7-13-1640 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-1640. (A) Any kind or type of voting machine may be approved by the State Board of Voting Machine Commissioners which is so constructed as to fulfill the following requirements. It shall:

(1) provide facilities for voting for all candidates of as many political parties or organizations as may make nominations of candidates at any election, for or against as many questions as may be submitted at any election, and at all general or special elections, permit the voter to vote for all of the candidates of one party or in part for the candidates of one or more parties;

(2) permit the voter to vote for as many persons for any office as he is lawfully entitled to vote for, but no more;

(3) prevent the voter from voting for the same person more than once for the same office;

(4) permit the voter to vote for or against any question he may have the right to vote on, but no other;

(5) if used at a primary election, be so equipped that all rows except those of the voter's party can be locked out by the managers of election by means of an adjustment on the outside of the machine;

(6) correctly register or record and accurately count all votes cast for any and all candidates and for or against all questions;

(7) be provided with a `protective counter' or `protective device' whereby any operation of the machine before or after the election will be detected;

(8) be provided with a counter which shows at all times during an election how many persons have voted;

(9) be provided with either an illustration or a mechanical model, illustrating the manner of voting on the machine, suitable for the instruction of voters; and

(10) ensure voting in absolute secrecy.

(B) A machine must be provided with a device for each party and for each nomination by petition for voting for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in one operation and listing the candidates by name and by party or indicating the candidate is nominated by petition."

Illustration authorized on voting day

SECTION 2. Section 7-13-1810 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-1810. For the instruction of voters on any election day, there shall be provided for each polling place either an illustration or a mechanically operated model of a portion of the face of the machine. The illustration or model shall be located on the table of one of the managers or in some other place accessible to the voters. Each voter so desiring shall, before entering the machine, be instructed regarding its operation on either the illustration or the model and the voter given an opportunity personally to operate the model. The voter's attention may also be called to the diagram of the face of the machine so that the voter may become familiar with the location of the questions and names of the offices and candidates."

Time effective

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

Approved the 20th day of May, 1996.