# South Carolina H 4669: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-50, RELATING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF MUNICIPAL WARD LINES AND THE TIME FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS BE HELD ON ONE OF CERTAIN ENUMERATED DATES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-60, RELATING TO MUNICIPALITIES ADOPTING METHODS OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES AND DETERMINING ELECTION RESULTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY MUNICIPALITY WHICH ELECTS TO HOLD PARTISAN ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL COSTS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDUCT OF A MUNICIPAL PRIMARY; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-120, RELATING TO VOTE COUNTING IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES TO DETERMINE WHEN NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAY BE QUALIFIED AND THEIR TERMS COMMENCE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A CANDIDATE DECLARED ELECTED HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE AND PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN APPEAL; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-130, RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR CONTESTING THE RESULTS OF A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, SO AS TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR FILING A WRITTEN NOTICE OF A CONTEST, AND TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A HEARING ON A CONTEST BY A CERTAIN DATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-140, RELATING TO APPEALS FROM DECISIONS REGARDING MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONTESTS, SO AS TO REMOVE LANGUAGE INDICATING A NOTICE OF APPEAL STAYS FURTHER PROCEEDINGS PENDING APPEAL, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A COURT SHALL GIVE SUCH APPEALS FIRST PRIORITY OF CONSIDERATION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-145, RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT ELECT TO TRANSFER THIS AUTHORITY. South Carolina H 4669, A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-50, RELATING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF MUNICIPAL WARD LINES AND THE TIME FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS BE HELD ON ONE OF CERTAIN ENUMERATED DATES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-60, RELATING TO MUNICIPALITIES ADOPTING METHODS OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES AND DETERMINING ELECTION RESULTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY MUNICIPALITY WHICH ELECTS TO HOLD PARTISAN ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL COSTS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDUCT OF A MUNICIPAL PRIMARY; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-120, RELATING TO VOTE COUNTING IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES TO DETERMINE WHEN NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAY BE QUALIFIED AND THEIR TERMS COMMENCE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A CANDIDATE DECLARED ELECTED HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE AND PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN APPEAL; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-130, RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR CONTESTING THE RESULTS OF A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, SO AS TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR FILING A WRITTEN NOTICE OF A CONTEST, AND TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A HEARING ON A CONTEST BY A CERTAIN DATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-140, RELATING TO APPEALS FROM DECISIONS REGARDING MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONTESTS, SO AS TO REMOVE LANGUAGE INDICATING A NOTICE OF APPEAL STAYS FURTHER PROCEEDINGS PENDING APPEAL, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A COURT SHALL GIVE SUCH APPEALS FIRST PRIORITY OF CONSIDERATION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-145, RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT ELECT TO TRANSFER THIS AUTHORITY., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Brandon Newton (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-02-04 (Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.Smith) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4669-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: South Carolina H 4669 - State: South Carolina - Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-50, RELATING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF MUNICIPAL WARD LINES AND THE TIME FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS BE HELD ON ONE OF CERTAIN ENUMERATED DATES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-60, RELATING TO MUNICIPALITIES ADOPTING METHODS OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES AND DETERMINING ELECTION RESULTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY MUNICIPALITY WHICH ELECTS TO HOLD PARTISAN ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ALL COSTS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONDUCT OF A MUNICIPAL PRIMARY; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-120, RELATING TO VOTE COUNTING IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES TO DETERMINE WHEN NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAY BE QUALIFIED AND THEIR TERMS COMMENCE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A CANDIDATE DECLARED ELECTED HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE AND PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN APPEAL; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-130, RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR CONTESTING THE RESULTS OF A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, SO AS TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR FILING A WRITTEN NOTICE OF A CONTEST, AND TO REQUIRE A MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A HEARING ON A CONTEST BY A CERTAIN DATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-140, RELATING TO APPEALS FROM DECISIONS REGARDING MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONTESTS, SO AS TO REMOVE LANGUAGE INDICATING A NOTICE OF APPEAL STAYS FURTHER PROCEEDINGS PENDING APPEAL, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A COURT SHALL GIVE SUCH APPEALS FIRST PRIORITY OF CONSIDERATION; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-145, RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TO COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT ELECT TO TRANSFER THIS AUTHORITY. - Status: failed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-12-16 - Last action: 2026-02-04, Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.Smith - Sponsor: Brandon Newton (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Municipal elections ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Brandon Newton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Marvin "Mark" Smith (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bill Taylor (Republican), House ## Actions (5) - 2026-02-04: Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.Smith (House) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-13: Introduced and read first time (House) - 2025-12-16: Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House) - 2025-12-16: Prefiled (House) ## Bill text - Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4669.htm) ## Related bills - S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMA… (became law) - S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed) - H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed) - S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS RE… (signed) - S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVID… (signed) - H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026. (signed) ## Sources - [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4669.htm) ## Related - [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026) - [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026) - [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026) - [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026) - [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026) - [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026) - [South Carolina bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina/bills) - [South Carolina state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/south-carolina) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4669-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).