A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 7-13-1820, relating to The maximum period of time permitted to voters to remain in the voting booth, so as to increase the maximum time allowed from three minutes to a reasonable amount of time or within five minutes of being asked to leave and providng that voters must leave the voting booth promptly after VOTING.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Section 7-13-1820 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 7-13-1820.   After the opening of the polls, the managers of election shall not permit any voter or other person to pass within the guard rail until they ascertain that he or she is entitled to vote, in the manner required by Section 7-13-710, as the case may be, and only one voter at a time for each voting machine at the voting place shall be permitted to pass within or be within the guard rail to vote. No voter shall remain within the voting machine booth longer than three minutesis necessary to mark his ballot, which shall not exceed five minutes; however, if a voter informs a manager that the voter requires additional time to mark his ballot, a longer time shall be allowed. If a manager determines that the voter is attempting to interfere with the conduct of the election and does not require additional time in the voting booth to mark his ballot, and if he shall refuse to leave it after the lapse of three five minutes, he may be removed by the managers.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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