Municipal Elections

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 5-15-45 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPAL OFFICEHOLDERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-50, RELATING TO THE TIME FOR MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTIONS BE HELD ONLY ON CERTAIN ENUMERATED DATES; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-100, RELATING TO THE FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSIONS CERTIFY RESULTS NOT LATER THAN THREE DAYS FOLLOWING AN ELECTION;

BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-120, RELATING TO MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A CANDIDATE WHO IS DECLARED ELECTED BY CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE AND TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF A CONTEST; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-130, RELATING TO PROCEDURES FOR CONTESTING THE RESULTS OF AN ELECTION, SO AS TO REVISE THE DATE IN WHICH A WRITTEN NOTICE OF CONTEST MUST BE PROVIDED; BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-140, RELATING TO APPEALS FROM DECISIONS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION COMMISSIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE APPEALS BE GRANTED FIRST PRIORITY OF CONSIDERATION BY THE COURT;

BY AMENDING SECTION 5-15-145, RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SO AS TO UPDATE TERMS; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-3-25, RELATING TO THE DUTY OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY THE OUTCOME OF CERTAIN ELECTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY THE OUTCOME OF CERTAIN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-13-1160, RELATING TO THE REPORTING OF ELECTION RESULTS TO THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO REQUIRE ELECTION RESULTS TO BE REPORTED CONTINUOUSLY AND WITHOUT UNDUE DELAY;

AND BY AMENDING SECTION 7-15-420, RELATING TO THE TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE EARLY VOTING TABULATION DATA TO BE LOADED INTO THE ELECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT THE SAME TIME AS ABSENTEE BALLOT TABULATION DATA.