The bill S. 305 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws regarding voter registration and party affiliation. It establishes that only electors registered as affiliated with a certified political party or as unaffiliated for at least forty-five days prior to a partisan primary or advisory referendum may participate in those events. Additionally, it mandates that voter registration applications include a section for political party affiliation and outlines the process for changing one's party affiliation. The bill also modifies existing sections related to candidate qualifications, shortening the candidate filing period, and changing the deadlines for filing party pledges.

Key amendments include the requirement for registered electors to indicate their political party affiliation on voter registration applications, and the stipulation that only those who have participated in recent statewide primaries of a political party and are registered with that party for a specified period can appear on the ballot for that party's primary. The bill also directs the State Election Commission to implement a voter education program regarding these changes and sets a deadline for form updates by October 1, 2025, with the act taking effect upon the Governor's approval and applying to all primaries conducted after March 31, 2026.

Statutes affected:
02/04/2025: 7-5-200, 7-5-170, 7-11-15, 7-11-210, 7-13-40
Latest Version: 7-5-200, 7-5-170, 7-11-15, 7-11-210, 7-13-40