Elections - In-Person Absentee and Mail-In Absentee Voting

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 7-15-325 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A FOURTEEN-DAY PERIOD PRECEDING THE GENERAL ELECTION DURING WHICH ALL QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THIS STATE MUST BE ALLOWED TO CAST AN EARLY IN-PERSON BALLOT, TO REQUIRE THAT EACH COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS ESTABLISH EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING LOCATIONS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS RESIDING IN THE COUNTY UP TO A MAXIMUM OF SIX EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING LOCATIONS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT COUNTY BOARDS OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, IN THEIR DISCRETION, MAY ESTABLISH EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING LOCATIONS FOR USE IN PRIMARY, PRIMARY RUNOFF, AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS; BY ADDING SECTION 7-15-387 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF ABSENTEE BALLOT DROP BOXES FOR RECEIVING OR COLLECTING COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOTS; TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-220, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT REGISTRATION MADE THIRTY DAYS OR LESS BEFORE AN ELECTION IS NOT VALID FOR THAT ELECTION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD OF REGISTRATION, ANY REGISTRATION MADE THIRTY DAYS OR LESS BEFORE ANY ELECTION IS NOT VALID FOR THAT ELECTION OR ANY SECOND RACE OR RUNOFF RESULTING FROM THAT ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-320, RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO AS TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REMOVE CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF ELECTORS WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-420, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE RECEIPT, TABULATION, AND REPORTING OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO ALLOW THE TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BEGIN AT 7:00 A.M. ON THE CALENDAR DAY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ELECTION DAY; AND TO REPEAL SECTIONS 7-17-520, 7-17-530, 7-17-540, AND 7-17-550 ALL RELATING TO HEARINGS BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES AND APPEALS FROM DECISIONS OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES.