Current Status Bill Number:1069 Ratification Number:423 Act Number:409 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19980226 Primary Sponsor:Holland All Sponsors:Holland Drafted Document Number:jud9054.dhh Companion Bill Number:4646 Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19980521 Date of Last Amendment:19980319 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:19980608 Subject:Electronic voting using Internet for armed forces, overseas citizens; Elections, Veterans' Affairs, Computers
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ ------ 19980630 Act No. A409 ------ 19980608 Signed by Governor ------ 19980604 Ratified R423 House 19980521 Read third time, enrolled for ratification House 19980520 Read second time House 19980514 Debate adjourned until Tuesday, 19980519 House 19980513 Request for debate by Representative Simrill Kirsh Hinson Moody- Lawrence Meacham Rodgers Young Harrison House 19980512 Debate adjourned until Wednesday, 19980513 House 19980506 Committee report: Favorable 25 HJ House 19980325 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ referred to Committee Senate 19980324 Read third time, sent to House Senate 19980319 Read second time Senate 19980319 Committee amendment adopted Senate 19980318 Committee report: Favorable with 11 SJ amendment Senate 19980226 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A409, R423, S1069)
AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 7, CHAPTER 15 OF TITLE 7, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ELECTIONS AND ABSENTEE VOTING PRECINCTS, BY ADDING SECTION 7-15-455 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH, IN COOPERATION WITH THE FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, A PILOT PROJECT FOR THE PURPOSES OF PERMITTING ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS TO TRANSMIT THEIR VOTES TO THE APPLICABLE ELECTION AUTHORITY OVER AN ELECTRONIC MEDIUM USING THE INTERNET, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT PROJECT AUTHORIZED IN SECTION 7-15-455 AND RECOMMEND TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY POSSIBLE FUTURE APPLICATIONS WHICH MAY BE UTILIZED FOR VOTING BY ELECTRONIC MEANS USING THE INTERNET; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 7-15-455, AS ADDED BY THIS ACT, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31, 2000.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Pilot project for armed forces personnel and overseas citizens
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 7-15-455. (A) For purposes of this section:
(1) 'Armed forces personnel' means South Carolina residents located outside of this State serving on active duty in the armed services of the United States, in the Reserve or Guard components of the United States armed services having been called to active military duty, or as civilian personnel with the armed services of the United States.
(2) 'Overseas citizen' is as defined in Section 7-15-310(9).
(B) The State Election Commission may establish, in cooperation with the Federal Voting Assistance Program, a pilot project for the purposes of permitting armed forces personnel and overseas citizens to transmit their
votes to the election authority over an electronic medium using the Internet. For purposes of this project, armed forces personnel and overseas citizens are entitled to cast and have counted votes for only those candidates and questions for which they would be eligible to cast an absentee ballot. As is practicable, votes must be cast and counted in conformity with the provisions of Title 7. The State Election Commission shall rely upon procedures established by the United States Department of Defense for security, secrecy, and validation of votes, and is not subject to civil liability or criminal penalty for following these procedures. Votes transmitted to the election authority over an electronic medium using the Internet are subject to a recount or election contest but not on the ground that the vote is invalid or suspect because it was cast using the Internet.
Reporting of results of pilot project; etc.
SECTION 2. The State Election Commission shall report the results of the Pilot Project authorized in Section 7-15-455 of the 1976 Code added by Section 1 of this act and recommend to the General Assembly possible future applications which may be utilized for voting by electronic means using the Internet.
Pilot project provisions repealed December 31, 2000
SECTION 3. Section 7-15-455 is repealed December 31, 2000.
Time effective
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 8th day of June, 1998.