Title 7, Elections

The executive committee shall hear the protest or contest on Thursday following the deadline for filing the same. Testimony at the hearing shall be limited to the grounds stated in the written protest. The protestant and each other candidate in the protested race shall have the r…

In every political primary election held by any political party, organization or association in any of the cities or towns of this State for the purpose of choosing candidates for offices therein or the election of delegates to conventions thereof, the decision of any protest or …

The State executive committee of every political party in this State which may have such a committee shall immediately after its appointment elect from its body a committee of one from each congressional district which shall constitute the Board of State Canvassers for Municipal …

The decision of the county board may be appealed to the State Board of Canvassers by any candidate adversely affected thereby. Notices of such appeal and the grounds thereof shall be made not later than noon Monday next following such decision by serving such notices on the chair…

No candidate shall be declared nominated in a first primary election unless he received a majority of the votes cast for the office for which he was a candidate. The question of a majority vote shall be determined by the number of votes cast for any particular office and not by t…

It is the intent of the South Carolina General Assembly that the following method be used in determining what candidates have received a majority vote for a particular office and are thereby entitled to be nominated on the first ballot according to the terms of Sections 7-17-600 …

All unopposed candidates in primary elections shall be declared the nominees of the party by the respective State or county committees.

Unless otherwise provided in Section 7-3-10(c), the state board must meet in Columbia not later than noon on Monday fourteen days following the filing of any notice perfected under Section 7-17-60 for the purpose of hearing appeals. The appellant and each other candidate in the p…

If any candidate in a primary or nonpartisan election dies after the election but before the time for filing a protest or dies after a protest has been timely filed, his political party or a representative duly appointed by the court may file or continue the protest on his behalf…

If any candidate in a special or general election dies after the election but before the time for filing a protest or dies after a protest has been timely filed, his political party or a representative duly appointed by the court may file or continue the protest on his behalf. Th…

The boards of county canvassers shall make such statements of the votes of the precincts of each county as the nature of the election shall require, within ten days from their first meeting, and shall transmit to the Board of State Canvassers any protest and all papers relating t…

Except in the case of the election for electors for President and Vice-President, duplicate statements shall be made and filed in the office of the clerk of the county or, if there be no such clerk duly qualified according to law, in the office of the State Election Commission.

A United States Senator shall be elected at the general election next preceding the expiration of the term of any United States Senator from this State.

(A) The electors shall immediately transmit at the same time and by the most expeditious method available the certificates of votes so made by them, together with the annexed certificates of ascertainment of appointment of electors, as follows: (1) One set shall be sent to the to…

Every elector for this State for the election of a president and vice-president of the United States who shall attend at any election of those officers and give his vote at the time and place appointed by law shall be entitled to receive for his attendance at such election and fo…

The Governor, Secretary of State and other State officers shall perform such duties and functions in respect to the election of electors, the election of the President and Vice-President of the United States and certification of electors and results of such election as provided b…

In case of a vacancy in the office of United States Senator from death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor may fill the place by appointment which shall be for the period of time intervening between the date of such appointment and January third following the next succeeding …

Representatives in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States shall be chosen at each general election in the several congressional districts by the qualified voters thereof.

The State is divided into seven congressional districts as follows: DISTRICT 1: Area Population County: Beaufort SC 187,117 County: Berkeley SC 229,861 County: Charleston SC Awendaw 1,621 Christ Church 1,164 Edisto Island 1,884 Folly Beach 1 920 Folly Beach 2 1,196 Isle of Palms …

Until the next apportionment be made by the Congress of the United States, each of such congressional districts shall be entitled to elect one member to represent this State in the Congress of the United States. After such new apportionment by Congress the General Assembly shall …

In case the Congress of the United States shall by any new apportionment give to this State more than six members of the House of Representatives and the General Assembly shall not be in session, the Governor shall by proclamation issue writs of election for congressmen at large,…

(A) Unless otherwise provided, the election of presidential electors shall be conducted and the returns made in the manner prescribed by this title for the election of state officers. (B) The names of candidates for electors of President and Vice President nominated by any politi…

Each candidate for presidential and vice-presidential elector shall declare which candidate for president and vice-president he will vote for if elected. Those elected shall vote for the president and vice-president candidates for whom they declared. Any person selected to fill a…

(A) The electors for President and Vice President shall convene at the capitol, in the office of the Secretary of State, at eleven in the forenoon, on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December next following their appointment, and shall proceed to effect a permanen…

No person shall be permitted to seek more than one office of State Senator in any election year.

The election for the office of State Senator in all senatorial districts shall be district-wide.

All of the provisions of Title 7 of the 1976 Code governing a State office shall apply to the offices of State Senator and of member of the House of Representatives except in those instances in which special provision is made for such offices and in those instances such special p…

Each commissioner or board member of state and county general elections shall receive as expenses an amount as appropriated in the annual state general appropriations act, payable quarterly, and is entitled to election-day mileage as provided by law for state employees. Managers …

Notices of election published in any public gazette or county newspaper by authority of the proper board of voter registration and elections, as required by law, shall be paid for at the rates prescribed by law for legal notices.

The governing bodies of the several counties shall audit and pay all accounts for necessary expenses incurred by the members of the board of voter registration and elections and managers of election for stationery, the making of election boxes, rents and similar expenses in elect…

It is unlawful for a person to falsely swear in making an application for registration under this chapter. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more tha…

(A) It is unlawful in any election for a voter to: (1) allow his ballot to be seen by a person, except as provided by law; (2) take, remove, or attempt to take or remove a ballot from the polling place before the close of the polls; (3) place a mark upon his ballot by which it ma…

It is unlawful for a person qualified to vote at any general, special, or primary election for an office whether local, state, or federal to vote more than once at such election, for the same office. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, …

It is unlawful for a person to impersonate or attempt to impersonate another person for the purpose of voting in a general, special, or primary election, whether municipal or state. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, m…

If any manager of election of this State report to the sheriff or other peace officer that a person has violated Section 7-25-120 such peace officer shall arrest such person and have a proper warrant sworn out. Any sheriff or police officer refusing to make an arrest when demand …

The authority responsible under law for conducting a party primary and the board of voter registration and elections or other electoral board in general and special elections in their discretion may post, or cause to be posted, a copy of Sections 7-25-120 to 7-25-140, printed on …

Any voter who shall swear falsely at any election, general, special or primary, in taking the prescribed oath or shall impersonate another person and take the oath in his name in order to vote shall be guilty of perjury and be punished, upon conviction, as for perjury.

A manager at any general, special, or primary election in this State who wilfully violates any of the duties devolved by law upon such position is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars and imp…

An officer, other than a manager at any election, on whom a duty is imposed by this title, except under Section 7-13-1170, Articles 1 and 3 of Chapter 17 and Chapters 19 and 23 of this title, who wilfully neglects such duty or engages in corrupt conduct in executing it is guilty …

(A) It is unlawful for a person to distribute any type of campaign literature or place any political posters within five hundred feet of any entrance used by the voters to enter the polling place, during polling hours on an election day and during the early voting period. The pol…

A person who votes at any general, special, or primary election who is not entitled to vote, or who by force, intimidation, deception, fraud, bribery, or undue influence obtains, procures, or controls the vote of any voter to be cast for any candidate or measure other than as int…

It is unlawful for a person to fraudulently: (1) procure the registration of a name on the books of registration; (2) offer or attempt to vote that name; (3) offer or attempt to vote in violation of this title or under any false pretense as to circumstances affecting his qualific…

(A) It is unlawful to offer or accept, or attempt to offer or accept, either directly or indirectly, money, a loan of money, or any other thing of value which includes, but is not limited to, employment or the promise of employment to induce a person to file or withdraw as a cand…

(A) It is unlawful to deface, vandalize, tamper with, or remove a lawfully placed political campaign sign prior to the election without the permission of the candidate or party. (B) This section does not apply to a governmental entity when a political campaign sign is removed bec…

A poll worker, whether or not compensated, while acting pursuant to or in furtherance of the holding or conduct of an election, shall be immune from personal civil liability for any act or omission when the act or omission is done or made in good faith and does not constitute gro…

The State Law Enforcement Division shall establish a public reporting hotline telephone number and email address for receiving reports of possible election fraud or other violations of the election laws of this State. It shall promptly review all reported violations and take acti…