South Carolina H 4295: Gold Standard Elections Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4295 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 03, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4295

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 ENACTING THE "GOLD STANDARD ELECTIONS ACT" BY AMENDING 
SECTION 7-3-20, RELATING TO THE DUTIES OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SO AS TO REQUIRE SEPARATE LISTS FOR ACTIVE, INACTIVE, AND 
ARCHIVED VOTER REGISTRATIONS, TO UTILIZE U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION 
SERVICES' SAVE SERVICES TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE NON-U.S. CITIZENS FROM THE VOTER 
REGISTRATION LIST AND MAINTAIN A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE LIST OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, 
AND TO COMPARE THE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST WITH CERTAIN FEDERAL LISTS ON A 
MONTHLY BASIS; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-5-160, RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION, SO 
AS TO PROVIDE FOR A VOTER REGISTRATION PERIOD OF TEN YEARS, REQUIRE VALID 
IDENTIFICATION TO REGISTER TO VOTE, AND FOR THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER 
REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS TO ISSUE A VOTER IDENTIFICATION CARD FOR EACH 
REGISTRATION; BY ADDING SECTION 7-5-200 SO AS TO PERMIT ONLY PAPER POLL BOOKS 
AT VOTING LOCATIONS; BY ADDING SECTION 7-7-715 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE MAXIMUM 
POPULATION OF EACH PRECINCT, REQUIRE A NEW PRECINCT WITHIN ONE YEAR OF 
POPULATION EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND PROVIDE FOR A PENALTY FOR 
VIOLATION; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-13-72, RELATING TO MANAGERS OF ELECTIONS, SO 
AS TO REQUIRE FOUR ELECTION MANAGERS FOR EACH TWO HUNDRED FIFTY REGISTERED 
VOTERS; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-700 SO AS TO REQUIRE ONLY QUALIFIED ELECTORS WHO 
COMPLY WITH ALL CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS TO VOTE IN AN 
ELECTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-13-730, RELATING TO THE DELIVERY, MARKING, AND 
DEPOSIT OF BALLOTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INITIALS OF TWO POLL MANAGERS ON EACH 
BALLOT; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-870 SO AS TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR PAPER 
BALLOTS AND THE HAND COUNT OF THOSE BALLOTS; BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-880 SO AS 
TO REQUIRE CHAIN OF CUSTODY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL VOTING SYSTEM COMPONENTS; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 7-13-1110, RELATING TO COUNTING BALLOTS AND RESULT 
DECLARATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO VIEW THE BALLOT COUNT 
PROCESS PROVIDED THERE IS NO INTERFERENCE WITH THE PROCESS; BY AMENDING SECTION 
7-13-1160, RELATING TO COUNTY REPORTING OF ELECTION RESULTS TO THE STATE 
ELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO REQUIRE EACH COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION 
AND ELECTIONS TO POST ITS ELECTION RESULTS BEFORE NOTIFICATION OF UNOFFICIAL 
RESULTS TO THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION; BY AMENDING SECTION 7-15-320, 
RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO AS TO REQUIRE ONLY 
U.S. CITIZENS WITH A CURRENT AND VALID VOTER REGISTRATION BE PERMITTED TO VOTE 
AND AMEND CIRCUMSTANCES FOR WHICH A PERSON MAY VOTE ABSENTEE; BY AMENDING SECTION 
7-15-330, RELATING TO ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE AN 
APPLICATION REQUEST TO INCLUDE THE SIGNATURE OF THE REQUESTOR AND A WITNESS; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 7-15-420, RELATING TO RECEIPT, TABULATION, AND REPORTING OF 
ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE ABSENTEE BALLOTS BE TRANSPORTED TO THE 
PRECINCT ON ELECTION DAY, PERMIT ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTS AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE, 
AND RENDER AN ABSENTEE BALLOT NULL AND VOID IF THE VOTER VOTED IN-PERSON FOR 
THAT ELECTION; BY ADDING SECTION 7-19-130 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A STATE ELECTOR IN 
A FEDERAL ELECTION PROCESS FROM VOTING FOR ANY CANDIDATE AND OBJECT TO THE 
FEDERAL ELECTION PROCESS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 
53-5-10, RELATING TO LEGAL HOLIDAYS, SO AS TO ADD GENERAL ELECTION DAY AS A LEGAL 
HOLIDAY.

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Gold Standard Elections Act."

SECTION 2. Section 7-3-20(D) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (D) The executive director shall:

 (1) 
direct and supervise the implementation of the standardized processes 
established by the commission pursuant to Section 7-3-10(F);

 (2) 
supervise the conduct of the county boards of voter registration and elections, 
as established pursuant to Article 1, Chapter 5, which administers elections 
and voter registration in the State, and ensure those boards' compliance with 
the requirements with applicable state or federal law or State Election 
Commission policies and procedures with regard to the conduct of elections or 
the voter registration process by all persons involved in the elections 
process;

 (3) 
conduct reviews, audits, or other postelection analysis of the county boards of 
voter registration and elections, as established pursuant to Article 1, Chapter 
5, to ensure those boards' compliance with the requirements with applicable 
state or federal law or State Election Commission policies, procedures, or 
standardized processes with regard to the conduct of