South Carolina § 7-13-610 - Ballot specifications; separate ballots for each party.

§ 7-13-610. Ballot specifications; separate ballots for each party.

(A) The State Election Commission and the respective county boards of voter registration and elections shall prepare separate ballots for each political party holding a primary. The ballots for each party must contain in print only the names of the candidates who have filed to run in that particular party primary and must have a stub at the top perforated so as to be easily detached. On the stub must be printed "Official state (or county) Ballot, (name of party) Primary", the name of the county and the precinct, and the date of the primary. On the right side there must be a blank line under which must be printed "Initials of Issuing Officer". Stubs on ballots for each precinct must be numbered consecutively, beginning with "No. 1". The ballots must be furnished by the State Election Commission for all except members of the General Assembly, county officers, less than county officers, and circuit solicitors, for which the county board of voter registration and elections shall furnish the ballots. One ballot must contain the names of all persons in alphabetical order running for state and federal offices. The other ballot must contain, in alphabetical order, the names of all persons running for the General Assembly, county offices, less than county officers, and solicitors.

(B) Ballots furnished by the State Election Commission under this section must have marked on them in plain type, both on the stub and on the ballot, the words "Official State Ballot". Ballots furnished by the county board of voter registration and elections under this section must have marked on them in plain type, both on the stub and on the ballot, the words "Official County Ballot".

(C) Other than ballots delivered electronically to qualified electors who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. Section 20301, et seq., the ballots shall incorporate features which can be used to authenticate the ballot as an official ballot but which do not make the ballot identifiable to a particular elector. The ballot must be printed on paper of a thickness so that the printing cannot be distinguished from the back and must be of a size and color as directed by the State Election Commission. If more than one ballot is to be used in a primary, each ballot must be printed on different colored paper. The ballot must contain a voting square opposite the name of each candidate, and the voter shall vote by putting a mark in the voting square opposite the name of the candidate of his choice. The State Election Commission may establish, under Chapter 23 of Title 1, such rules and regulations as are necessary for the proper administration of this section.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 23-400.31; 1952 Code SECTION 23-377; 1950 (46) 2059; 1966 (54) 2340; 1981 Act No. 1 SECTION 1, eff January 14, 1981; 1992 Act No. 253, SECTION 6, eff February 19, 1992; 1996 Act No. 242, SECTION 2, eff March 4, 1996; 2022 Act No. 150 (S.108), SECTION 12, eff May 13, 2022.

Effect of Amendment

2022 Act No. 150, SECTION 12, in (C), inserted the first sentence.