H*3140(Rat #0376, Act #0316 of 1996)  General Bill, By D.E. McTeer and Lloyd
 A Bill to amend Section 7-13-1640, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to voting machine requirements, so as to provide that the State Board
 of Voting Machine Commissioners be provided with either an illustration or a
 mechanical voting machine model which illustrates the manner of voting on the
 machine; and to amend Section 7-13-1810, relating to the requirement that
 there must be provided on election day a mechanically operated model of a
 voting machine for instruction of voters, so as to authorize an illustration
 or mechanically operated model be provided for instruction of voters.-amended
 title

   12/21/94  House  Prefiled
   12/21/94  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/10/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-50
   01/10/95  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-50
   01/18/95  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-12
   01/24/95  House  Amended HJ-14
   01/24/95  House  Objection by Rep. Moody-Lawrence & White HJ-18
   01/24/95  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, January 25,
                     1995 HJ-18
   01/25/95  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, February 1,
                     1995 HJ-27
   02/01/95  House  Amended HJ-27
   02/01/95  House  Read second time HJ-27
   02/02/95  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-31
   02/07/95  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-18
   02/07/95  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-18
   04/17/96  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary SJ-16
   04/23/96  Senate Amended SJ-55
   04/23/96  Senate Read second time SJ-55
   04/29/96  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-20
   05/01/96  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-69
   05/14/96         Ratified R 376
   05/20/96         Signed By Governor
   05/20/96         Effective date 05/20/96
   05/31/96         Copies available
   05/31/96         Act No. 316

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-1640, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO VOTING MACHINE REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF VOTING MACHINE COMMISSIONERS BE PROVIDED WITH EITHER AN ILLUSTRATION OR A MECHANICAL MODEL WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE MANNER OF VOTING ON THE MACHINE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-1810, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT THERE MUST BE PROVIDED ON ELECTION DAY A MECHANICALLY OPERATED MODEL OF A VOTING MACHINE FOR INSTRUCTION OF VOTERS, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE AN ILLUSTRATION OR MECHANICALLY OPERATED MODEL BE PROVIDED FOR INSTRUCTION OF VOTERS.

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

Requirements for voting machines; illustration authorized

SECTION 1. Section 7-13-1640 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-1640. (A) Any kind or type of voting machine may be approved by the State Board of Voting Machine Commissioners which is so constructed as to fulfill the following requirements. It shall:

(1) provide facilities for voting for all candidates of as many political parties or organizations as may make nominations of candidates at any election, for or against as many questions as may be submitted at any election, and at all general or special elections, permit the voter to vote for all of the candidates of one party or in part for the candidates of one or more parties;

(2) permit the voter to vote for as many persons for any office as he is lawfully entitled to vote for, but no more;

(3) prevent the voter from voting for the same person more than once for the same office;

(4) permit the voter to vote for or against any question he may have the right to vote on, but no other;

(5) if used at a primary election, be so equipped that all rows except those of the voter's party can be locked out by the managers of election by means of an adjustment on the outside of the machine;

(6) correctly register or record and accurately count all votes cast for any and all candidates and for or against all questions;

(7) be provided with a `protective counter' or `protective device' whereby any operation of the machine before or after the election will be detected;

(8) be provided with a counter which shows at all times during an election how many persons have voted;

(9) be provided with either an illustration or a mechanical model, illustrating the manner of voting on the machine, suitable for the instruction of voters; and

(10) ensure voting in absolute secrecy.

(B) A machine must be provided with a device for each party and for each nomination by petition for voting for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in one operation and listing the candidates by name and by party or indicating the candidate is nominated by petition."

Illustration authorized on voting day

SECTION 2. Section 7-13-1810 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-1810. For the instruction of voters on any election day, there shall be provided for each polling place either an illustration or a mechanically operated model of a portion of the face of the machine. The illustration or model shall be located on the table of one of the managers or in some other place accessible to the voters. Each voter so desiring shall, before entering the machine, be instructed regarding its operation on either the illustration or the model and the voter given an opportunity personally to operate the model. The voter's attention may also be called to the diagram of the face of the machine so that the voter may become familiar with the location of the questions and names of the offices and candidates."

Time effective

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

Approved the 20th day of May, 1996.