Voter Access and Transparency Act

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "VOTER ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT"; BY ADDING SECTION 7-5-200 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE USE OF PAPER POLL BOOKS ONLY AT VOTING LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-870 SO AS TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN INHERENT RIGHTS OF OBSERVATION FOR ALL ELECTION OBSERVERS; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-880 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE USE OF CHAIN OF CUSTODY DOCUMENTATION FOR ALL ELECTION-RELATED MATERIALS AND THE MAINTENANCE OF CHAIN OF CUSTODY RECORDS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AFTER AN ELECTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-13-771, RELATING TO CURBSIDE VOTING FOR HANDICAPPED AND ELDERLY ELECTORS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT AN ELECTOR FIRST AFFIRM HIS INABILITY TO EITHER ENTER A POLLING PLACE OR STAND IN LINE BEFORE BEING ISSUED A CURBSIDE VOTING BALLOT; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-15-320, RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO AS TO DELETE REFERENCES TO EARLY VOTING, AND TO DELETE THE PROVISION ALLOWING PERSONS SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 7-13-25 RELATING TO EARLY VOTING.