H*3399(Rat #0091, Act #0025 of 1997)  General Bill, By Bauer, Allison, Altman, 
Barfield, Barrett, J.M. Baxley, Beck, Bowers, J. Brown, T. Brown, A.W. Byrd, 
Cobb-Hunter, J.L.M. Cromer, Davenport, Edge, Fleming, Hamilton, Hawkins, Hinson, 
Howard, Kennedy, M.H. Kinon, Kirsh, Knotts, Koon, Lanford, Leach, Limehouse, 
Littlejohn, Lloyd, Mack, Martin, W. McLeod, Miller, Neilson, Parks, Phillips, 
Pinckney, Quinn, Rice, Riser, Rodgers, Sandifer, Scott, Simrill, F. Smith, 
J. Smith, Stuart, Webb, Whatley, Wilkins and Woodrum
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-320, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE VOTING, SO AS TO
 DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT AN EMPLOYER SIGN A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION THAT HIS
 EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYMENT PREVENTS HIM FROM VOTING IN HIS COUNTY OF RESIDENCE.

   02/05/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-44
   02/05/97  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-44
   03/19/97  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-15
   03/25/97  House  Read second time HJ-12
   03/26/97  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-10
   04/01/97  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-13
   04/01/97  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-13
   04/16/97  Senate Committee report: Favorable Judiciary SJ-13
   04/17/97  Senate Read second time SJ-18
   04/17/97  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-18
   04/18/97  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-1
   05/15/97         Ratified R 91
   05/22/97         Became law without Governor's signature
   05/22/97         Effective date 05/22/97
   06/02/97         Copies available
   06/02/97         Act No. 25

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-320, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE VOTING, SO AS TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT AN EMPLOYER SIGN A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION THAT HIS EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYMENT PREVENTS HIM FROM VOTING IN HIS COUNTY OF RESIDENCE.

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

Voting by absentee ballot

SECTION 1. Section 7-15-320 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 434 of 1996, is further amended to read:

"Section 7-15-320. A qualified elector in any of the following categories must be permitted to vote by absentee ballot in all elections when he is absent from his county of residence on election day during the hours the polls are open, to an extent that it prevents him from voting in person except that physically disabled persons, certified poll watchers, poll managers, county voter registration board members and staff, and county election commission members and staff working on election day, a person admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of an election or within a four-day period before an election, and persons whose employment obligations required that they be at their place of employment during the hours that the polls are open and present written certification of that obligation to the county registration board, and persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial may vote by absentee ballot whether or not absent from their county of residence:

(1) students, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;

(2) members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;

(3) persons serving with the American Red Cross or with the United Service Organizations (USO) who are attached to and serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;

(4) persons in employment;

(5) physically disabled persons;

(6) governmental employees, their spouses, and dependents residing with them;

(7) electors with a death or funeral in the family within a three-day period before the election;

(8) persons on vacation (who by virtue of vacation plans will be absent from their county of residence on election day);

(9) certified poll watchers, poll managers, county voter registration board members and staff, county election commission members and staff working on election day;

(10) overseas citizens;

(11) persons attending sick or physically disabled persons;

(12) persons admitted to hospitals as emergency patients on the day of an election or within a four-day period before the election;

(13) persons who will be serving as jurors in a state or federal court on election day;

(14) persons sixty-five years of age or older;

(15) persons confined to a jail or pre-trial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial."

Time effective

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

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 5/22/97.