The bill H. 3310 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws to establish closed primaries for partisan elections. It stipulates that only individuals registered as members of a political party may vote in that party's primary elections or advisory referendums, unless the party has opted to allow independent voters to participate. The bill introduces a new section, 7-5-115, which outlines these voting restrictions and requires the State Election Commission to assist in maintaining a list of voters by party affiliation. Additionally, it amends existing sections to include the requirement for voters to declare their political party affiliation when registering and to provide a procedure for changing party affiliation.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that county boards of voter registration and elections inform voters about these new procedures before the first primary election under this law. It allows voters to register by party at partisan primary elections conducted before June 1, 2026, and includes provisions for voters who do not select a party to be deemed independent. The act will take effect upon the Governor's approval, but it allows for a transitional period where voters can still participate in primaries without signing the required affidavit until May 31, 2026.

Statutes affected:
12/05/2024: 7-5-115, 7-5-110, 7-5-170, 7-9-20
Latest Version: 7-5-115, 7-5-110, 7-5-170, 7-9-20
12/06/2024: 7-5-115, 7-5-110, 7-5-170, 7-9-20