South Carolina S 1109: Abbey and Nels Rude Fabick

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 1109 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 14, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 1109

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 7-11-20, RELATING TO PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES, SO AS TO DECREASE THE 
MAXIMUM FILING FEE THAT MAY BE CHARGED BY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO EACH 
CANDIDATE CERTIFIED BY A POLITICAL PARTY FOR THE CONDUCT OF A PRESIDENTIAL 
PREFERENCE PRIMARY.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 7-11-20(B)(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (2) If the state committee of a 
certified political party which received at least five percent of the popular 
vote in South Carolina for the party's candidate for President of the United 
States decides to hold a presidential preference primary election, then the State Election Commission must conduct the 
presidential preference primary in accordance with the provisions of this title 
and party rules provided that a registered elector may cast a ballot in only 
one presidential preference primary. However, notwithstanding any other 
provision of this title, (a) the State Election Commission and the authorities 
responsible for conducting the elections in each county shall provide for 
cost-effective measures in conducting the presidential preference primaries including, 
but not limited to, combining polling places, while ensuring that voters have 
adequate notice and access to the polling places; and (b) the state committee 
of the party shall set the date and the filing requirements, including a 
certification fee. Political parties must verify the qualifications of 
candidates prior to certifying to the State Election Commission the names of 
candidates to be placed on primary ballots. The written certification required 
by this section must contain a statement that each certified candidate meets, 
or will meet by the time of the general election, or as otherwise required by 
law, the qualifications in the United States Constitution, statutory law, and 
party rules to participate in the presidential preference primary for which he 
has filed. Political parties must not certify any candidate who does not or 
will not by the time of the general election meet the qualifications in the 
United States Constitution, statutory law, and party rules for the presidential 
preference primary for which the candidate desires to file, and such 
candidate's name must not be placed on a primary ballot. Political parties may 
charge a certification fee to persons seeking to be candidates in the 
presidential preference primary for the political party. A filing fee not to 
exceed twentytwo 
thousand five hundred dollars, as determined by the 
State Election Commission, for each candidate certified by a political party 
must be transmitted by the respective political party to the State Election 
Commission and must be used for conducting the presidential preference primaries.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on April 14, 2026 at 12:36 PM