South Carolina S 33: Voter Registration and Voting

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 33 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 15, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 33

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 7-13-771, RELATING TO VOTING BY HANDICAPPED AND ELDERLY ELECTORS WHO 
CANNOT ENTER THE POLLING PLACE OR CANNOT STAND IN LINE TO VOTE, SO AS TO 
PROVIDE THAT THE ELECTOR MAY CHOOSE A PERSON TO REMAIN IN THE VEHICLE WHILE THE 
ELECTOR COMPLETES HIS BALLOT; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-13-780, RELATING TO 
DESIGNATION OF VOTERS WHO MAY RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A 
HANDICAPPED OR ELDERLY PERSON VOTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 7-13-771 IS ENTITLED 
TO ASSISTANCE WHEN VOTING; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 7-5-180, RELATING TO 
PROCEDURES FOR REGISTRATION WHEN QUALIFICATION IS COMPLETED AFTER CLOSING 
BOOKS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO HAS NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN 
YEARS BEFORE THE CLOSING OF THE BOOKS OF REGISTRATION PRECEDING ANY ELECTION, 
INCLUDING PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS, BUT ATTAINS THAT AGE BEFORE THE NEXT 
ENSUING ELECTION MAY REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTRONICALLY PURSUANT TO SECTION 
7-5-185 OR BY APPEARING BEFORE HIS COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND 
ELECTIONS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 7-13-771(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (C) The voter may 
choose a person to remain in the vehicle while the voter is casting his ballot. 
The voter shall make it known to the manager who the voter chooses to remain in 
the vehicle. No person other than the voter and the 
person chosen by the voter to remain in the vehicle are is permitted in the vehicle in which the voter is casting 
his ballot unless the voter is entitled to assistance as 
provided in Section 7-13-770.

SECTION 2. Section 7-13-780 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
7-13-780. Only those persons who are unable to read or write, or who are physically 
unable or incapacitated from preparing a ballot or voting, 
or due to the person's handicap or age cannot enter the polling place or cannot 
stand in line to vote shall be entitled to receive assistance of any 
kind in voting.

SECTION 3. Section 7-5-180 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
7-5-180. Except as otherwise provided by law, a A person who has not attained the age of eighteen years 
before the closing of the books of registration preceding any election, 
including presidential primary elections, but attains that age before the next 
ensuing election may register to vote in the next ensuing 
election in the manner provided in Section 7-5-185, Section 7-5-320, or by 
appearing appears before the county board of 
voter registration and elections. and makes application for registration, The application to the county board of voter registration and 
elections must be made under oath as to the facts above stated entitling 
a person to registration, and the board shall 
register the applicant, if he is otherwise qualified. Any person not laboring 
under the disabilities named in the Constitution and in Section 7-5-120 and 
whose qualification as an elector is completed after the closing of the 
registration books, but before the next ensuing election, has the right to 
apply for and secure registration at any time within one hundred twenty days 
immediately preceding the closing of the books for the election or for the 
primary election preceding the election. Written notification of approval or 
rejection must be issued personally or mailed by the board to each applicant on 
a form to be prescribed and provided by the State Election Commission. The 
decision of the county board of voter registration and elections may be 
appealed as provided by Section 7-5-230.

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 15, 2025 at 03:57 PM