Current Status Bill Number:625 Ratification Number:266 Act Number:252 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19950308 Primary Sponsor:Judiciary Committee SJ 11 All Sponsors:Judiciary Committee Drafted Document Number:JUD6030.11 Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19960306 Date of Last Amendment:19960226 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:19960401 Subject:Poll watchers
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
------ 19960410 Act No. A252
------ 19960401 Signed by Governor
------ 19960326 Ratified R266
Senate 19960306 Concurred in House amendment,
enrolled for ratification
House 19960306 Read third time, returned to
Senate with amendment
House 19960226 Amended, read second time
House 19960222 Debate adjourned until
Monday, 19960226
House 19960222 Objection by Representative Simrill
House 19960221 Debate adjourned until
Thursday, 19960222
House 19960221 Objection by Representative Meacham
House 19960214 Committee report: Favorable with 25 HJ
amendment
House 19950314 Introduced, read first time, 25 HJ
referred to Committee
Senate 19950314 Read third time, sent to House
Senate 19950309 Read second time
Senate 19950308 Introduced, read first time,
placed on Calendar without reference
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A252, R266, S625)
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.