H 4044 Session 123 (2019-2020) H 4044 General Bill, By Fry, Long, Hill, Finlay, Crawford, McGinnis, B.Newton, Clemmons, Bennett, Davis, Johnson, Hardee, Martin, D.C.Moss, G.R.Smith, Sottile, Mace, Forrest, Huggins, Hixon, Hyde, Blackwell, Willis, Taylor, Bailey, Hewitt, Gagnon, Felder, B.Cox, Elliott, Morgan, Magnuson, Wooten, Ligon, Bryant, Burns, Chumley, Trantham, Caskey, Thayer, Pope, Chellis, G.M.Smith and Erickson A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-170, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE NECESSITY OF WRITTEN VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM BY ADDING APPROPRIATELY SIZED CHECK BOXES IN WHICH REGISTRANTS VOLUNTARILY MAY DISCLOSE THEIR POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION; TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF THE VOLUNTARY, SELF-IDENTIFIED POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATIONS DISCLOSED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS RECORD IS SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE VOLUNTARY, SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF ONE'S POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION PURSUANT TO THIS ACT MAY NOT BE USED TO RESTRICT PRIMARY VOTING.
TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-170, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE NECESSITY OF WRITTEN VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM BY ADDING APPROPRIATELY SIZED CHECK BOXES IN WHICH REGISTRANTS VOLUNTARILY MAY DISCLOSE THEIR POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION; TO REQUIRE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF THE VOLUNTARY, SELF-IDENTIFIED POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATIONS DISCLOSED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS RECORD IS SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE VOLUNTARY, SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF ONE'S POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION PURSUANT TO THIS ACT MAY NOT BE USED TO RESTRICT PRIMARY VOTING. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Section 7-5-170(2) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(2)(a) Form of application. -- The application must be on a form prescribed and provided by the executive director and shall contain the following information: name, sex, race, social security number, date of birth, residence address, mailing address, telephone number of the applicant, and location of prior voter registration. The applicant must affirm that he is not under a court order declaring him mentally incompetent, confined in (b)(1) In addition to the requirements delineated in item (a), the State Election Commission shall amend the South Carolina voter registration application form by adding appropriately sized check boxes in which a registrant voluntarily may disclose his political party affiliation as 'Democrat', 'Republican', 'Independent', or 'other'. Adjacent to the 'other' box, the State Election Commission also shall include a line on which the registrant may specify his political party affiliation. (2) The State Election Commission shall maintain a record of all voluntary, self-identified political party affiliations disclosed pursuant to this item. These records are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. (3) The voluntary, self-identification of one's political party affiliation pursuant to this item may not be used to restrict or limit a voter's full discretion to participate in the primary election of his choosing." SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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