2014 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 7 - Elections
CHAPTER 13 - CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

ARTICLE 1 When, Where and How Elections Held

• SECTION 7-13-10. Time of general elections for Federal, State and county officers; conduct of general and special elections.
• SECTION 7-13-15. Primaries to be conducted by State Election Commission and county boards of voter registration and elections on second Tuesday in June; filing fees.
• SECTION 7-13-20. Time of general election for certain county officers.
• SECTION 7-13-30. Time of election of probate judges.
• SECTION 7-13-35. Notice of general, municipal, special, and primary elections.
• SECTION 7-13-40. Time of party primary; certification of names; verification of candidates' qualifications; filing fee.
• SECTION 7-13-45. Acceptance of filings.
• SECTION 7-13-50. Second and other primaries.
• SECTION 7-13-60. Hours polls open.
• SECTION 7-13-70. Repealed by 2014 Act No. 196, Section 7, eff June 2, 2014.
• SECTION 7-13-72. Managers of election.
• SECTION 7-13-75. Members of local boards of voter registration and elections; political activity prohibited.
• SECTION 7-13-80. Organization of board of voter registration and elections managers and clerks; oaths.
• SECTION 7-13-90. Repealed by 1992 Act No. 253, Section 17, eff February 19, 1992.
• SECTION 7-13-100. Managers shall take oath before opening polls.
• SECTION 7-13-110. Poll managers to be residents and registered electors of counties; assistants.
• SECTION 7-13-120. Candidates and their relatives shall not be managers or clerks.
• SECTION 7-13-130. Managers' table; guard rail; general arrangement; preservation of right to vote and secrecy of ballot.
• SECTION 7-13-140. Maintenance of order; police powers of managers.
• SECTION 7-13-150. Penalty for failure to assist in maintaining order.
• SECTION 7-13-160. Peace officers shall enter polling place only on request or to vote.
• SECTION 7-13-170. Procedure when managers fail to attend, take charge of, or conduct election.
• SECTION 7-13-180. Posting proposed constitutional amendments at polling place.
• SECTION 7-13-190. Special elections to fill vacancies in office.

ARTICLE 3 Ballots for General and Special Elections

• SECTION 7-13-310. Kinds of general election ballots; different colored paper shall be used.
• SECTION 7-13-320. Ballot standards and specifications.
• SECTION 7-13-325. Use of candidate's given name, derivative thereof, or nickname on ballot.
• SECTION 7-13-330. Form of ballot; instructions.
• SECTION 7-13-335. Arrangement of names on certain ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-340. Printing and distribution of ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-350. Certification of candidates; verification of qualifications.
• SECTION 7-13-351. Nominees by petition.
• SECTION 7-13-352. Date by which statement of candidacy must be filed; verification of candidates' qualifications.
• SECTION 7-13-355. Time for submitting question to election commission for submission as referendum to electors.
• SECTION 7-13-360. Place on ballot for write-in names.
• SECTION 7-13-370. Death, withdrawal or disqualification of candidate after name printed on ballot.
• SECTION 7-13-380. Reprinting ballots to delete name of deceased or withdrawn candidate is optional.
• SECTION 7-13-390. Limitations on withdrawal of candidacy.
• SECTION 7-13-400. Form of ballot when questions are submitted.
• SECTION 7-13-410. Ballots where both state-wide and local constitutional amendments are submitted.
• SECTION 7-13-420. Oath of printer of ballots and assistants.
• SECTION 7-13-430. Ballots provided where voting machines not used; substitute ballots; penalties for failure to provide; failsafe ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-440. Voting machine ballots; arrangement of nominations.
• SECTION 7-13-450. Use of voting machines shall not prohibit use of separate ballots on certain questions.
• SECTION 7-13-460. Use of paper ballots.

ARTICLE 5 Ballots for Primary Elections

• SECTION 7-13-610. Ballot specifications; separate ballots for each party.
• SECTION 7-13-611. Arrangement of official county and state primary ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-620. Repealed by 2000 Act No. 392, Section 11, eff August 1, 2000.

ARTICLE 7 Voting Provisions Applicable to All Elections

• SECTION 7-13-710. Proof of right to vote; signing poll list; comparison of signatures; provisional ballot; purpose of requirement.
• SECTION 7-13-720. Oath of voter.
• SECTION 7-13-730. Delivery and marking of ballot; deposit into ballot box.
• SECTION 7-13-740. Number and construction of booths; only one voter in booth at a time; speaking to voter prohibited.
• SECTION 7-13-750. Repealed by 1984 Act No. 315, Section 1, eff April 2, 1984.
• SECTION 7-13-760. Time when voter must leave booth and voting place; voter must be alone in booth and must not talk while voting.
• SECTION 7-13-770. Unauthorized persons within guard rails; voters requiring assistance; minor children of qualified elector accompanying parent into booth.
• SECTION 7-13-771. Voting by handicapped and elderly electors who cannot enter the polling place or cannot stand in line to vote.
• SECTION 7-13-780. Designation of voters who may receive assistance.
• SECTION 7-13-790. Substitute for marred or defaced ballot.
• SECTION 7-13-800. Write-ins shall be in handwriting of voter or authorized manager.
• SECTION 7-13-810. Prevention of illegal voting or taking too much time; challenging voters.
• SECTION 7-13-820. Voting by person whose name is not on registration book.
• SECTION 7-13-830. Procedure when voter challenged.
• SECTION 7-13-840. Ballot boxes; number, location, construction, color, labeling.
• SECTION 7-13-850. Closing polls; voters waiting may vote.
• SECTION 7-13-860. Watchers; appointment, qualifications, identification, and conduct.

ARTICLE 9 Voting Provisions Applicable to Primary Elections Only

• SECTION 7-13-1010. Additional oath of voters.
• SECTION 7-13-1020. Absentee voting not permitted in primaries; exceptions.
• SECTION 7-13-1030. Voting by National Guard when on duty.
• SECTION 7-13-1040. No person to vote in more than one primary on same day.

ARTICLE 11 Canvassing and Counting of Ballots

• SECTION 7-13-1110. Counting ballots and declaration of result; volunteer personnel may assist.
• SECTION 7-13-1120. Disposition of improperly marked ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1130. Disposition of ballots found in wrong box and ballots folded together.
• SECTION 7-13-1140. Procedure when too many ballots found in box or too many votes tabulated.
• SECTION 7-13-1150. Accounting for ballots after election; returns; delivery of poll lists and other matters; unused ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1160. Reporting of election results to State Election Commission.
• SECTION 7-13-1170. Ordering of new election by Governor.

ARTICLE 13 Vote Recorders

• SECTION 7-13-1310. Repealed by 2005 Act No. 63 Section 5, eff May 16, 2005.
• SECTION 7-13-1320. Use of vote recorders in certain precincts; use of vote recorders of different kinds; number and capacity of vote records.
• SECTION 7-13-1330. Vote recorders and optical scan voting systems; approval process; duration and changes.
• SECTION 7-13-1340. Requirements for vote recorders or optical scan voting devices.
• SECTION 7-13-1350. Payment for vote recorders.
• SECTION 7-13-1360. Form and contents of ballot labels; primary elections.
• SECTION 7-13-1370. Ballot cards.
• SECTION 7-13-1371. Ballot cards used in conjunction with optical scanning device; instructions.
• SECTION 7-13-1380. Write-in votes.
• SECTION 7-13-1390. Labeling, preparation, and testing of vote recorders; custodians and deputies; examination by interested persons.
• SECTION 7-13-1400. Delivery of vote recorders; duties of officials at polling places.
• SECTION 7-13-1410. Duties of officials after closing of polls; review of ballots; duplicate ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1420. Observation by poll watchers after polls close.
• SECTION 7-13-1430. Counting stations; processing and counting of ballots and preparation of summary sheets.
• SECTION 7-13-1440. Witnesses are to observe at counting station.
• SECTION 7-13-1450. Public display of vote recorders preceding election.
• SECTION 7-13-1460. Use of paper ballots where use of vote recorders is not possible or practicable.
• SECTION 7-13-1470. Procedure where vote recorder becomes out of order.
• SECTION 7-13-1480. Custody, storage, and care of vote recorders.
• SECTION 7-13-1490. Regulations, instructions and forms.
• SECTION 7-13-1500. Oath of person preparing or operating tabulating devices.

ARTICLE 15 Voting Machines

• SECTION 7-13-1610. State Board of Voting Machine Commissioners.
• SECTION 7-13-1620. Voting system approval process.
• SECTION 7-13-1630. Repealed by 1999 Act No. 103, Section 8, eff June 30, 1999.
• SECTION 7-13-1640. Voting machine requirements.
• SECTION 7-13-1650. Experimental use of voting machines.
• SECTION 7-13-1655. "Voting system" defined; State Election Commission duties.
• SECTION 7-13-1660. Repealed by 2005 Act No. 63, Section 5, eff May 16, 2005.
• SECTION 7-13-1670. Demonstrations with machines for instruction of voters.
• SECTION 7-13-1680. Number of voting machines; type and use; repair; custody.
• SECTION 7-13-1690. Employment and qualifications of custodians of voting machines.
• SECTION 7-13-1700. Instruction of managers and clerks in use of machines; appointment of manager or clerk in emergency.
• SECTION 7-13-1710. Voting machine ballots; arrangement of nominations.
• SECTION 7-13-1720. Unopposed candidates in primaries.
• SECTION 7-13-1730. Use of separate ballots on constitutional amendments and other public measures.
• SECTION 7-13-1740. Sample or instruction ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1750. Preparation of machines for elections; party representatives may examine machines.
• SECTION 7-13-1760. The boards of voter registration and elections shall see that machines and other equipment are in place and good order.
• SECTION 7-13-1770. Duties of managers prior to opening polls; when machines may not be used for voting purposes.
• SECTION 7-13-1780. Placement of voting machines in polling places.
• SECTION 7-13-1790. Lights and screens.
• SECTION 7-13-1800. Inspection of machines; covering of counter compartment shall be kept locked; attendance at voting places.
• SECTION 7-13-1810. Instructions of voters by model machine at polling place.
• SECTION 7-13-1820. Persons within guard rail; time permitted voters to vote.
• SECTION 7-13-1830. Instruction after voter has entered machine.
• SECTION 7-13-1840. Assistance may be given to voters.
• SECTION 7-13-1850. Write-in ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1860. Duty to protect machines against injury.
• SECTION 7-13-1870. Procedure when voting machine becomes inoperative.
• SECTION 7-13-1880. Canvass and return of vote; return of provisional and failsafe ballots.
• SECTION 7-13-1890. Machines shall remain locked after election; certification of managers or election; verification of results of election.
• SECTION 7-13-1900. Use of voting machines for primary elections.
• SECTION 7-13-1910. Possession of voting machine key by unauthorized person.
• SECTION 7-13-1920. Tampering with voting machine.
• SECTION 7-13-1930. Other provisions of this Title applicable to use of voting machines.

ARTICLE 17 Explanation of Proposed Constitutional Amendments

• SECTION 7-13-2110. Authorization of simplified or more detailed explanation of proposed constitutional amendments.
• SECTION 7-13-2120. Constitutional Ballot Commission.
• SECTION 7-13-2130. Jurisdiction of proceedings challenging explanations.

ARTICLE 19 General, Special, and Primary Elections Resulting in a Tie

• SECTION 7-13-2210. General or special election.
• SECTION 7-13-2220. Primary election.