H*2641(Rat #0655, Act #0001 of 1981)  General Bill, By R.K. Anderson, 
W.P. Cantrell, C.L. Griffin, W.R. Kinard and T.W. Mitchell
 A Bill to amend Section 7-13-610, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to ballot specifications in primary elections, so as to provide that
 the ballot shall contain a voting square opposite the name of each candidate
 and that persons voting for a candidate shall make a mark in the voting
 square; and to amend Section 7-5-120, Code of Laws of South Caroina, 1976,
 relating to qualfications for registration as an elector and to persons who
 are disqualified from registration, so as to provide that persons convicted of
 a felony carrying a penalty of five years or more shall be disqualified from
 registration unless the disqualification is removed by service of the sentence
 including probation and parole or a pardon.-at

   03/13/79  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-816
   03/13/79  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-816
   03/29/79  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-1079
   04/04/79  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1161
   04/05/79  House  Read second time HJ-1203
   04/06/79  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-1284
   04/10/79  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-11
   04/10/79  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-11
   07/26/79  Senate Recalled from Committee on Judiciary SJ-27
   07/26/79  Senate Amended SJ-27
   07/26/79  Senate Read second time SJ-27
   07/27/79  Senate  READ THIRD TIME SJ-22
   07/27/79  Senate Returned SJ-22
   08/15/79  House  Debate adjourned HJ-3606
   01/09/80  House  Debate adjourned HJ-99
   01/10/80  House  Debate adjourned HJ-212
   01/15/80  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-252
   01/15/80  House  Returned HJ-252
   08/28/80  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-45
   08/28/80  House  Ratified R 655 HJ-4022
   09/18/80           PENDING ACTION BY GOVERNOR
   01/14/81         Signed By Governor
   01/14/81         Act No. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-610, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO BALLOT SPECIFICATIONS IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE BALLOT SHALL CONTAIN A VOTING SQUARE OPPOSITE THE NAME OF EACH CANDIDATE AND THAT PERSONS VOTING FOR A CANDIDATE SHALL MAKE A MARK IN THE VOTING; TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-120 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AS AN ELECTOR AND TO PERSONS WHO ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM REGISTRATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS CONVICTED OF A FELONY SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM REGISTRATION UNLESS THE DISQUALIFICATION IS REMOVED BY SERVICE OF THE SENTENCE INCLUDING PROBATION AND PAROLE OR A PARDON; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 7-5-120 SHALL APPLY REGARDLESS OF THE DATE OF CONVICTION.

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

Ballot specifications

Section 1. Section 7-13-610 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding at the end:

"The ballot shall contain a voting square opposite the name of each candidate and the voter shall vote by putting a mark in the voting square opposite the name of the candidate of his choice."

Persons disqualified from voting

Section 2. The last paragraph (b) of Section 7-5-120 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(b) Persons convicted of a felony or offenses against the election laws shall be disqualified from being registered or voting, unless such disqualification shall have been removed by service of the sentence, including probation and parole time unless sooner pardoned."

Section 2A. The provision of paragraph (b) of Section 7-5-120, as amended in Section 2, shall apply to all persons falling within the amended provision regardless of the date of their conviction.

Time effective

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