The bill S. 38 proposes amendments to Section 7-13-190 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which governs special elections to fill vacancies in office. The key changes include the specification that special elections must only be held on certain enumerated dates, which are the fourth Tuesday in January, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April, the second Tuesday in June (only for primaries in even-numbered years), the fourth Tuesday in August, and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (for elections other than primaries). Additionally, the bill modifies the filing periods for candidates and the scheduling of primaries and special elections, ensuring that they do not conflict with state holidays or other significant election dates.

The bill also clarifies the timeline for conducting elections following a vacancy, including adjustments to filing periods and election dates based on the occurrence of legal holidays. Notably, it stipulates that if a special election to fill an unexpired term is scheduled within 100 days of a general election, no special election or primary will be held for that office, with an exception for vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives. These amendments aim to streamline the election process and provide clearer guidelines for filling vacancies in office.

Statutes affected:
12/11/2024: 7-13-190
02/05/2025: 7-13-190
02/06/2025: 7-13-190
02/11/2025: 7-13-190
Latest Version: 7-13-190