H*3613(Rat #0018, Act #0147 of 2007)  General Bill, By Taylor
 AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 779 OF 1988, RELATING TO THE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES OF LAURENS
 COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS 55 AND 56, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS DESIRING TO
 BECOME CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARDS SHALL FILE A STATEMENT OF
 CANDIDACY RATHER THAN A PETITION, TO REVISE THE DATE BY WHICH THE STATEMENTS
 OF CANDIDACY MUST BE FILED, AND TO PROVIDE THAT IF A CANDIDATE IS UNOPPOSED,
 HE IS DEEMED ELECTED UNDER SPECIFIED CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES. - ratified
 title

   03/01/07  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-11
   03/05/07         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/06/07  House  Read second time HJ-14
   03/07/07  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-16
   03/07/07  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on local &
                     uncontested calendar SJ-17
   03/08/07  Senate Read second time SJ-11
   03/14/07  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-12
   03/22/07         Ratified R 18
   03/29/07         Became law without Governor's signature
   04/03/07         Copies available
   04/03/07         Effective date 03/29/07
   07/30/07         Act No. 147

(A147, R18, H3613)

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 779 OF 1988, RELATING TO THE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES OF LAURENS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS 55 AND 56, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS DESIRING TO BECOME CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARDS SHALL FILE A STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY RATHER THAN A PETITION, TO REVISE THE DATE BY WHICH THE STATEMENTS OF CANDIDACY MUST BE FILED, AND TO PROVIDE THAT IF A CANDIDATE IS UNOPPOSED, HE IS DEEMED ELECTED UNDER SPECIFIED CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES.

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

Statements of candidacy; candidate deemed elected if unopposed

SECTION    1.    Subsection (C) of Section 1 of Act 779 of 1988 is amended to read:

"(C)(1)        The members of the board elected from defined single-member election districts must be residents of those election districts and must be elected by the qualified electors of those election districts. The chairman of the board must be elected from the membership of the board by a majority vote of the board for a term of two years and until his successor is elected and qualifies. All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board shall file a statement of candidacy as prescribed by the county election commission. The statement must be filed with the county election commission by twelve o'clock noon at least seventy-five days before the date set for the election. This statement must include the candidate's name, single-member election district of residence, and other information as the county election commission requires.

(2)(a)    An election to fill any particular seat on the board is not required to be conducted if fourteen calendar days have elapsed since the filing period for that office has closed, only one person has filed for the office, and no person has filed a declaration to be a write-in candidate with the authority charged by law with conducting the election.

(b)    In such an event, the candidate who filed for the office is deemed elected and shall take office as provided by law.

(c)    Nothing in this item requires the votes for that election to be counted or otherwise tabulated, and nothing in this item requires a ballot containing the name of a person who has been declared the winner pursuant to this item to be reprinted to delete the winning candidate's name or candidates' names from the ballot."

Statements of candidacy; candidate deemed elected if unopposed

SECTION    2.    Subsection (C) of Section 2 of Act 779 of 1988 is amended to read:

"(C)(1)        The members of the board elected from defined single-member election districts must be residents of those election districts and must be elected by the qualified electors of those election districts. The chairman of the board must be elected from the membership of the board by a majority vote of the board for a term of two years and until his successor is elected and qualifies. All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board shall file a statement of candidacy as prescribed by the county election commission. The statement must be filed with the county election commission by twelve o'clock noon at least seventy-five days before the date set for the election. This statement must include the candidate's name, single-member election district of residence, and other information as the county election commission requires.

(2)(a)    An election to fill any particular seat on the board is not required to be conducted if fourteen calendar days have elapsed since the filing period for that office has closed, only one person has filed for the office, and no person has filed a declaration to be a write-in candidate with the authority charged by law with conducting the election.

(b)    In such an event, the candidate who filed for the office is deemed elected and shall take office as provided by law.

(c)    Nothing in this item requires the votes for that election to be counted or otherwise tabulated, and nothing in this item requires a ballot containing the name of a person who has been declared the winner pursuant to this item to be reprinted to delete the winning candidate's name or candidates' names from the ballot."

Time effective

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 22nd day of March, 2007.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 3/29/07.