S*0625(Rat #0266, Act #0252 of 1996)  General Bill, By Senate Judiciary
 A Bill to amend Section 7-13-860, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to poll watchers, so as to make the Section applicable to nonpartisan
 candidates, authorize a watcher at a voting place for a candidate where his
 name is on the ballot, provide for written certification of the watcher,
 provide for the size and color of identification badges that a watcher may
 wear, and the location where watchers may observe the election
 process.-amended title

   03/08/95  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference SJ-12
   03/09/95  Senate Read second time SJ-21
   03/14/95  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-138
   03/14/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-166
   03/14/95  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-167
   02/14/96  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-7
   02/21/96  House  Objection by Rep. Meacham HJ-28
   02/21/96  House  Debate adjourned until Thursday, February 22,
                     1996 HJ-28
   02/22/96  House  Objection by Rep. Simrill HJ-27
   02/22/96  House  Debate adjourned until Monday, February 26, 1996 HJ-27
   02/26/96  House  Amended HJ-13
   02/26/96  House  Read second time HJ-14
   03/06/96  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments HJ-11
   03/06/96  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-22
   03/26/96         Ratified R 266
   04/01/96         Signed By Governor
   04/01/96         Effective date 04/01/96
   04/09/96         Copies available
   04/09/96         Act No. 252

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-860, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO POLL WATCHERS, SO AS TO MAKE THE SECTION APPLICABLE TO NONPARTISAN CANDIDATES, AUTHORIZE A WATCHER AT A VOTING PLACE FOR A CANDIDATE WHERE HIS NAME IS ON THE BALLOT, PROVIDE FOR WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF THE WATCHER, PROVIDE FOR THE SIZE AND COLOR OF IDENTIFICATION BADGES THAT A WATCHER MAY WEAR, AND THE LOCATION WHERE WATCHERS MAY OBSERVE THE ELECTION PROCESS.

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

Regulation of poll watchers

SECTION 1. Section 7-13-860 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-860. Each candidate who is not unopposed in a primary and each nonpartisan candidate, including announced write-in candidates in a general or special election may appoint a watcher for any voting place where his name appears on the ballot. However, in any general or special election, all candidates who are certified by a political party must be jointly represented at each polling place by not more than two watchers from the party for each one thousand registered voters or fraction thereof registered at the polling place. Each watcher appointed hereunder must be a qualified voter in the county where he is to watch, and must be certified, in writing, to the managers of the voting precinct to which assigned. This certification must be signed by the primary or nonpartisan candidate or, in the case of watchers jointly representing all candidates of a political party, by an appropriate party official. Watchers must, at all times, wear visible identification specifying the candidate or party, as appropriate, which they represent. The identification badge of a poll watcher may not exceed four and one-fourth inches by four and one-fourth inches with individual letters on the badge not exceeding one-quarter inch in height or width. Badges must be printed on white or yellow paper with red, white, or blue ink. After qualification, watchers must be placed in an area designated by the poll managers where the watchers can observe the entire election process at that polling place. No watcher may conduct himself in a manner that will interfere in the orderly conduct of the election or influence any voter in the casting of his ballot."

Time effective

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

Approved the 1st day of April, 1996.