The "Gold Standard Elections Act" seeks to enhance the integrity and security of the electoral process in South Carolina by amending various sections of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Key provisions include the requirement for the State Election Commission to maintain separate lists for active, inactive, and archived voter registrations, and to utilize U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' SAVE services to identify and remove non-U.S. citizens from voter registration lists. The bill mandates a ten-year voter registration period, the issuance of voter identification cards, and the exclusive use of paper poll books at voting locations. It also establishes a maximum population limit for precincts, outlines penalties for non-compliance, and increases the number of election managers required per registered voter.

Additionally, the bill introduces stricter regulations for absentee voting, requiring valid identification and a witness signature on applications, and mandates that absentee ballots be transported to precincts on election day. It emphasizes transparency in the ballot counting process, allowing public access to view the counting and requiring hand-counting of paper ballots. The act expands the categories of individuals eligible to vote absentee, introduces limitations on absentee ballot requests, and ensures that absentee ballots remain sealed until polls close. Furthermore, it designates general election day as a legal holiday and includes provisions for electors to object to federal election processes that utilize internet-connected voting machines or closed-source code.

Statutes affected:
04/03/2025: 7-3-20, 7-5-160, 7-5-200, 7-7-715, 7-13-72, 7-13-700, 7-13-730, 7-13-870, 7-13-880, 7-13-1110, 7-13-1160, 7-15-320, 7-15-330, 7-15-420, 7-19-130, 53-5-10
Latest Version: 7-3-20, 7-5-160, 7-5-200, 7-7-715, 7-13-72, 7-13-700, 7-13-730, 7-13-870, 7-13-880, 7-13-1110, 7-13-1160, 7-15-320, 7-15-330, 7-15-420, 7-19-130, 53-5-10