H*4968(Rat #0159, Act #0282 of 2018)  General Bill, By Hiott, Clary and Collins
 AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 489 OF 1998, RELATING TO THE ADVISORY ELECTION AMONG
 PICKENS COUNTY VETERANS TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE TO THE PICKENS COUNTY
 LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR APPOINTMENT AS PICKENS COUNTY
 VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICER, SO AS TO REVISE THE PROCEDURE FOR FILLING A VACANCY
 IN THE OFFICE OF PICKENS COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICER; TO DESIGNATE THE
 OFFICE OF THE PICKENS COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS AS THE
 POLLING LOCATION FOR THE ELECTION; TO ESTABLISH A VOTING PERIOD DURING THE
 BOARD'S NORMAL HOURS OF OPERATION IN WHICH TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION, TO
 AUTHORIZE ABSENTEE VOTING, AND TO SPECIFY WHEN THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION
 AND ELECTIONS OF PICKENS COUNTY SHALL MEET TO CERTIFY RESULTS. - ratified
 title

   02/21/18  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 10)
   02/21/18  House  Referred to Pickens Delegation (House Journal-page 10)
   03/07/18  House  Committee report: Favorable Pickens Delegation
                     (House Journal-page 2)
   03/20/18  House  Amended (House Journal-page 6)
   03/20/18  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 6)
   03/20/18  House  Roll call Yeas-70  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 9)
   03/21/18  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 7)
   03/21/18  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on local &
                     uncontested calendar (Senate Journal-page 8)
   03/21/18         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/22/18  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 17)
   03/23/18         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/28/18  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 7)
   04/03/18         Ratified R 159
   04/04/18         Signed By Governor
   04/06/18         Effective date 04/04/18
   10/16/18         Act No. 282

(A282, R159, H4968)

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 489 OF 1998, RELATING TO THE ADVISORY ELECTION AMONG PICKENS COUNTY VETERANS TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE TO THE PICKENS COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR APPOINTMENT AS PICKENS COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICER, SO AS TO REVISE THE PROCEDURE FOR FILLING A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF PICKENS COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICER; TO DESIGNATE THE OFFICE OF THE PICKENS COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS AS THE POLLING LOCATION FOR THE ELECTION; TO ESTABLISH A VOTING PERIOD DURING THE BOARD'S NORMAL HOURS OF OPERATION IN WHICH TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION, TO AUTHORIZE ABSENTEE VOTING, AND TO SPECIFY WHEN THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF PICKENS COUNTY SHALL MEET TO CERTIFY RESULTS.

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

Advisory election for Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer

SECTION    1.    Section 1(C) of Act 489 of 1998 is amended to read:

"(C)    Beginning in the year 2001, and every four years after that, the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County shall conduct an advisory election among the veterans in Pickens County to nominate a candidate to the county legislative delegation for recommendation for appointment as Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer. This advisory election must be conducted in the manner and at the times and location specified in subsection (H). The county legislative delegation shall consider the person nominated in the advisory election and, prior to making its recommendation, may consider any otherwise qualified person."

Filling vacancy in the office of Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer

SECTION    2.    Section 1(D) of Act 489 of 1998 is amended to read:

"(D)(1)    In the case of a vacancy in the office of Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer, the vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the term, except as provided in item (2).

(2)    If the vacancy occurs more than one year before the next scheduled advisory election as provided in subsection (C), a special advisory election must be held to nominate a candidate to the county legislative delegation for recommendation for appointment as Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer. The special advisory election must be conducted in the same manner as a regular advisory election. The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County shall designate a period of two weeks within which statements of candidacy must be filed prior to the advisory election. The county legislative delegation shall make a recommendation for a person to serve as Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer on an interim basis until a candidate is appointed after the special advisory election is conducted. The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County shall designate a three-week voting period to begin at Noon the first Monday occurring no less than seventy days after the vacancy occurs and closing at Noon, three Fridays after opening. In the event of a holiday occurring on the day the voting period opens or closes, the voting period shall open or close at Noon on the next regular business day. If the vacancy occurs less than one year before the next scheduled advisory election as provided in subsection (C), the county legislative delegation shall make a recommendation for a person to serve as Pickens County Veterans Affairs Officer on an interim basis until the next scheduled advisory election as provided in subsection (C)."

Advisory election polling place and voting procedures

SECTION    3.    Section 1(H) of Act 489 of 1998 is amended to read:

"(H)(1)    The polling place for the advisory election required by this act is the office of the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County.

(2)    The voting period for the advisory election shall begin at 12:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday in April and close at 12:00 p.m. on the second Friday in May. During the voting period, those veterans residing in Pickens County who are eligible to vote pursuant to subsection (F) may vote:

(a)    absentee by mail without having to disclose a reason for voting absentee; or

(b)    in person at the office of the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County during the board's normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(3)    The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Pickens County shall meet at 9:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday following the second Friday in May to certify the results of the advisory election."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 3rd day of April, 2018.

Approved the 4th day of April, 2018.