S*0553(Rat #0253, Act #0180 of 1987)  General Bill, By Senate Judiciary

Similar(S 163)
 A Bill to amend Article 3 of Chapter 13 of Title 7, Code of Laws of South
 Carolina, 1976, relating to ballots for general and special elections, by
 adding Section 7-13-325 so as to provide that the name of any candidate
 authorized to appear on any ballot in any general, special, or primary
 election for any office may be the candidate's given name, a derivative of his
 given name, or a nickname, to provide for a procedure for the use of a
 derivative name or a nickname on the ballot, and to authorize the State
 Election Commission to promulgate regulations

   03/19/87  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference SJ-981
   03/24/87  Senate Read second time SJ-1008
   03/24/87  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-1008
   03/24/87  Senate Special order SJ-1008
   04/07/87  Senate Debate interrupted SJ-1185
   04/08/87  Senate Amended SJ-1232
   04/08/87  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-1233
   04/09/87  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-1747
   04/09/87  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-1747
   05/13/87  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-2636
   05/20/87  House  Amended HJ-2993
   05/20/87  House  Read second time HJ-2994
   05/21/87  House   Read third time HJ-3072
   05/21/87  House  Returned HJ-3072
   05/28/87  Senate House amendment amended SJ-2419
   05/28/87  Senate Returned SJ-2419
   06/02/87  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-3452
   06/25/87         Ratified R 253
   06/30/87         Signed By Governor
   07/09/87         Effective date 06/30/87
   07/09/87         Act No. 180
   07/13/87         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 3 of CHAPTER 13 OF TITLE 7, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO BALLOTS FOR GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS, BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-325 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE NAME OF ANY CANDIDATE AUTHORIZED TO APPEAR ON ANY BALLOT IN ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, OR PRIMARY ELECTION FOR ANY OFFICE MAY BE THE CANDIDATE'S GIVEN NAME, A DERIVATIVE OF HIS GIVEN NAME, OR A NICKNAME, TO PROVIDE FOR A PROCEDURE FOR THE USE OF A DERIVATIVE NAME OR A NICKNAME ON THE BALLOT, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS.

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

Printing of candidate's name on ballot

SECTION 1. Article 3 of Chapter 13 of Title 7 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 7-13-325. The name of any candidate authorized by law to appear on any ballot in any general, special, or primary election in this State for any office may be any of the following or any combination thereof: (1) the candidate's given name, (2) a derivative of the candidate's given name properly acquired under the common law and used in good faith for honest purposes, or (3) a nickname which bears no relation to the candidate's given name but which is used in good faith for honest purposes and does not exceed fifteen letters on the ballot. The derivative name or nickname shall not, however, imply professional or social status, an office, or military rank.

Any candidate wanting to use a derivative name or a nickname, as permitted by items (2) and (3), respectively, of this section, shall indicate to the State Election Commission, prior to any deadline for receiving or certifying candidates' names for inclusion on the ballot, the name he wishes to have appear and shall present any evidence required by the authority conducting the election that the name indicated is his derivative name or nickname. In deciding whether the name indicated is the candidate's derivative name or nickname, the authority conducting the election shall consider appropriate criteria, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) whether the name is the designation by which the candidate is usually and commonly known in the community in which he resides or called by other persons, (b) whether the name is the designation by which the candidate calls himself or which he has adopted, or (c) whether the name is the designation under which the candidate transacts private and official business.

The State Election Commission is authorized to promulgate regulations to carry out the provisions of this act, including, but not limited to, forms to be completed by the candidate and the deadline by which a candidate shall indicate the name he wishes to have appear on the ballot."

Time effective

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