The bill H. 5355 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws to establish closed primaries for partisan elections. It introduces a new section, 7-5-115, which stipulates that only voters registered as members of a political party can participate in that party's primary elections or advisory referendums, unless the party allows independent voters to participate. Additionally, the bill amends existing sections to require voters to declare their political party affiliation when registering and to provide a procedure for changing party affiliation. The State Election Commission is tasked with maintaining a list of registered voters by party affiliation and assisting in the registration process.

Key amendments include changes to Section 7-5-110, which now explicitly states that individuals must be registered members of a political party to vote in its primaries, and Section 7-5-170, which requires the voter registration application to include political party affiliation. The bill also modifies Section 7-9-20 to ensure that only registered party members can vote in their respective primaries. Importantly, the provisions of this act will take effect on January 1, 2027, but allow for participation in primaries before that date if voters sign an affidavit affirming their party membership.

Statutes affected:
03/11/2026: 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