reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
SC Code § 7-15-470 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-470. Absentee ballots other than paper ballots.

 Section effective December 31, 2021. See, also, section effective until December 31, 2021.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a county board of voter registration and elections may use other methods of voting by absentee ballot instead of by paper ballot. No voting machine or voting system, other than a paper-based system, may be used for in-person absentee voting that has not received written certification from the State Election Commission that the voting machine or voting system meets all statutory requirements for use in the State and certification that the machine can be secured against voting at times other than business hours of the county board of voter registration and elections, that the results of elections can be held secure from release until the time for counting ballots at any polling place, and votes cast using the machine can be challenged and held secure until the hearing on challenged ballots required by Section 7-13-830 is held. The State Election Commission must develop standards and guidelines for these purposes.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 83, Section 1, eff August 10, 2001; 2020 Act No. 133 (S.635), Section 1.C, eff May 13, 2020; 2020 Act No. 133 (S.635), Section 1.H, eff December 31, 2021.  Editor's Note  2020 Act No. 133, Section 1.H., provides as follows:  "[1.]H. The amendments contained in subsections A., B., and C. of this SECTION are repealed on December 31, 2021, and the text of these code sections therefore shall revert back to the language as contained in the South Carolina Code of Laws as of January 23, 2020."  Effect of Amendment  2020 Act No. 133, Section 1.C., rewrote the section, modifying the requirements needed to obtain the State Election Commission certification before using a nonpaper-based voting machine or voting system for in-person absentee voting.
SC Code § 7-15-600 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-600. Short title.

 This article may be cited as the "South Carolina Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act".  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-620 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-620. Eligible voters may utilize absentee ballot process.

 Notwithstanding other provisions of law, a voter who meets the requirements of this article may utilize the absentee ballot process established by this article, or as otherwise permitted by state or federal law.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-630 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-630. Application for special write-in absentee ballot; qualifications; issuance.

 (A) A qualified elector of this State who is eligible to vote as provided by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, set forth in the 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff, et seq., or its successor, may apply not earlier than ninety days before an election for a special write-in absentee ballot. This ballot must be used for each general and special election and primaries for federal offices, statewide offices, and members of the General Assembly.  (B) The application for a special write-in absentee ballot may be made on the federal postcard application form, or its electronic equivalent or on a form prescribed by the State Election Commission.  (C) In order to qualify for a special write-in absentee ballot, the voter must state that he is unable to vote by regular absentee ballot or in person due to requirements of military service or due to living in isolated areas or extremely remote areas of the world. This statement may be made on the federal postcard application or on a form prepared by the State Election Commission and supplied and returned with the special write-in absentee ballot.  (D) Upon receipt of this application, the county board of voter registration and elections shall issue the special write-in absentee ballot which must be prescribed and provided by the State Election Commission. The ballot shall list the offices for election in the general election. It may list the candidates for office if known at the time of election. This ballot shall permit the elector to vote by writing in a party preference for each federal, state, and local office, the names of specific candidates for each federal, state, and local office, or the name of the person whom the voter prefers for each office.  (E) A qualified elector may alternatively submit a federal write-in absentee ballot for any federal, state, or local office or state or local ballot measure.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-640 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-640. Application to register to vote.

 (A) A covered voter may use a federal postcard application, the federal postcard application's electronic equivalent, or another method approved by the federal government or the State Election Commission to apply to register to vote.  (B) A covered voter may use the declaration accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot to apply to register to vote simultaneously with the submission of the federal write-in absentee ballot, if the declaration is received before the closure of the registration books for that election pursuant to Section 7-5-120, 7-5-150 or 7-5-155, as appropriate. If the declaration is received after that date, it must be treated as an application to register to vote for subsequent elections.  (C) The Executive Director of the State Election Commission shall ensure that the election commission's electronic transmission system is capable of accepting both a federal postcard application and any other approved electronic registration application sent to the appropriate election official. The voter may use the electronic transmission system or any other approved method to register to vote.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-650 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-650. Absentee instant runoff ballots; instructions; regulations.

 (A) For the qualified electors of this State who are eligible to vote as provided by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, set forth in the 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff, et seq., or its successor, an absentee ballot with an absentee instant runoff ballot for each potential second primary must be sent to the elector at least forty-five days prior to the primary election.  (B) The absentee instant runoff ballots for second primaries must be prepared by the authority charged with conducting the election.  (C) The absentee instant runoff ballot for a second primary shall permit the elector to vote his order of preference for each candidate for each office by indicating a rank next to the candidate's name on the ballot. However, the elector shall not be required to indicate his preference for more than one candidate on the ballot if he so chooses.  (D) The special absentee ballot shall be designated as an "absentee instant runoff ballot" and be clearly distinguishable from the regular absentee ballot.  (E) Instructions explaining the absentee instant runoff voting process must be provided with the ballot to the qualified elector.  (F) The State Election Commission shall promulgate regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-660 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-660. Voting precinct assignment.

 An overseas voter who is registering to vote, and who is eligible to vote in this State shall use, and must be assigned to, the voting precinct of the address of the voter's last place of residence in this State, or in the case of a voter described by Section 7-15-610(5)(e), the address of the voter's parent's or legal guardian's place of last residence in this State. If that address is no longer a recognized residential address, the overseas voter must be assigned an address within the voting precinct of the last place of residence for voting purposes.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-670 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-670. Declaration by covered voter.

 (A) A covered voter may use the declaration accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot as an application for a military-overseas ballot simultaneously with the submission of the federal write-in absentee ballot, if the declaration is received by the appropriate election official by seven o'clock p.m. on election day.  (B) To receive the benefits of this article, a covered voter must inform the appropriate election official that the voter is a covered voter. Methods of informing the appropriate election official that a voter is a covered voter include:  (1) the use of a federal postcard application or federal write-in absentee ballot;  (2) the use of an overseas address on an approved voter registration application or ballot application; and  (3) the inclusion on an approved voter registration application or ballot application of other information sufficient to identify the voter as a covered voter.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-680 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-680. Sending absentee ballot to covered voter.

 An absentee ballot must be sent to a covered voter, upon the voter's request, at least forty-five days prior to any election. However, if a ballot application from a covered voter arrives within the forty-five day period, an absentee ballot must be sent to the covered voter no later than five o'clock p.m. on the next business day after the application arrives.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-690 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-690. Duty of State Election Commission; regulations.

 (A) To ensure that all South Carolina residents eligible to vote as provided by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, set forth in the 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff, et seq., or its successor, have the opportunity to receive and cast any ballot they would have been eligible to cast if they resided in and had remained in South Carolina, the State Election Commission must, in cooperation with United States government agencies, take all steps and action as may be necessary including, but not limited to, electronic transmissions of Standard Form 76A, or its successor form, issued by the federal government as an application for voter registration and an application for absentee ballots and electronic transmissions of absentee ballots for all elections for federal, state, and local offices to voters in accordance with his preferred method of transmission.  (B) The State Election Commission shall promulgate regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-700 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-700. Delivery of valid military-overseas ballot; declaration of voter.

 (A) A valid military-overseas ballot must be counted if it is delivered to the address that the State Election Commission or county board of voter registration and elections, as appropriate, has specified by the close of business on the business day before the county canvass.  (B) If, at the time of completing a military-overseas ballot and balloting materials, the voter has declared under penalty of perjury that the ballot was timely submitted, the ballot may not be rejected on the basis that it has a late postmark, an unreadable postmark, or no postmark as long as the ballot was received in accordance with subsection (A).  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-710 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-710. Ballot to include signed declaration by voter.

 A military-overseas ballot must include, or be accompanied by, a declaration signed by the voter that a material misstatement of fact in completing the ballot may be grounds for a conviction of perjury under the laws of the United States or this State.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-720 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-720. Electronic free-access system.

 The Executive Director of the State Election Commission, in coordination with the county boards of voter registration and elections shall implement an electronic free-access system by which a covered voter may determine whether:  (1) the voter's federal postcard application or other registration or military-overseas ballot application has been received and accepted; or  (2) the voter's military-overseas ballot has been received and the current status of the ballot.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-730 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-730. Request for electronic-mail address; standing request for electronic delivery of ballot.

 (A) The county board of voter registration and elections or the State Election Commission, as appropriate, shall request an electronic-mail address from each covered voter who registers to vote after the effective date of this article. An electronic-mail address provided by a covered voter may not be made available to the public or any individual or organization other than an employee or official with the county board of voter registration and elections or the State Election Commission, and is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act of this State. The electronic-mail address may be used only for official communication with the covered voter about the voting process, including transmitting military-overseas ballots and election materials if the voter has requested electronic transmission, and verifying the covered voter's mailing address and physical location. The request for an electronic-mail address must describe the purposes for which the electronic-mail address may be used and include a statement that any other use or disclosure of the electronic-mail address is prohibited.  (B) A covered voter who provides an electronic-mail address may request that the voter's application for a military-overseas ballot be considered a standing request for electronic delivery of a ballot for all elections held through December thirty-first of the year following the calendar year of the date of the application or another shorter period the voter specifies, including for any runoff elections that occur as a result of those elections. An election official or employee shall provide a military-overseas ballot to a covered voter who makes a standing request for each election to which the request is applicable. A covered voter who is entitled to receive a military-overseas ballot for a primary election under this subsection is entitled to receive a military-overseas ballot for the general election.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-740 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-740. Preparation of election notices.

 (A) At least one hundred days before a regularly scheduled election and as soon as practicable before an election not regularly scheduled, the Executive Director of the State Election Commission shall prepare appropriate election notices to be used in conjunction with a federal write-in absentee ballot. The election notice must contain a list of all of the ballot measures and federal, state, and local offices that as of that date the official expects to be on the ballot on the date of the election. The notice also must contain specific instructions for how a voter is to indicate on the federal write-in absentee ballot the voter's choice for each office to be filled and for each ballot measure to be contested.  (B) A covered voter may request a copy of an election notice. The executive director shall send the notice to the voter by facsimile, electronic mail, or regular mail, as the voter requests.  (C) As soon as ballot styles are certified, and not later than the date ballots are required to be transmitted to voters pursuant to Article 5, Chapter 15, the executive director shall update the notice with the certified candidates for each office and ballot measure questions and make the updated notice publicly available.  (D) A county board of voter registration and elections that maintains an online website shall make the election notice available by linking to the State Election Commission website.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-750 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-750. Effect of mistakes or omissions in document completion; notarization.

 (A) If a covered voter's mistake or omission in the completion of a document pursuant to this article does not prevent determining whether a covered voter is eligible to vote, the mistake or omission does not invalidate the document. Failure to satisfy a nonsubstantive requirement, such as using paper or envelopes of a specified size or weight, does not invalidate a document submitted pursuant to this article. In a write-in ballot authorized by this article or in a vote for a write-in candidate on a regular ballot, if the intention of the voter is discernable pursuant to the laws of this State, an abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or a political party must be accepted as a valid vote.  (B) Notarization is not required for the execution of a document pursuant to this article. An authentication, other than the declaration specified in Section 7-15-710, or the declaration on the federal postcard application and federal write-in absentee ballot, is not required for execution of a document pursuant to this article. The declaration and any information in the declaration may be compared with information on file to ascertain the validity of the document.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-760 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-760. Equitable relief.

 A court may issue an injunction or grant other equitable relief appropriate to ensure substantial compliance with, or enforce, this article on application by:  (1) a covered voter alleging a grievance under this article; or  (2) an election official in this State.  HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 5, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-17-10 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 17 - Canvass Of Votes; Certificates And Records Of Results|Section 7-17-10. Meeting and organization of county boards of canvassers.

 The commissioners of election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, state officers, circuit solicitors, members of the General Assembly, and county officers or any of these officers shall meet in some convenient place at the county seat on the Friday next following the election, before one o'clock in the afternoon of that day, and shall proceed to organize as the county board of canvassers. They may appoint some competent person as secretary. The chairman then shall proceed to administer the constitutional oath to each member of the board, as canvassers, and shall administer the constitutional oath to the secretary, and the secretary shall administer to the chairman the same oath that he has administered to the other members of the board. The commissioners of election for members of Congress and presidential electors or any of these officers likewise shall meet at the same time at the county seat and in the same manner shall proceed to organize as the county board of canvassers for the election of the federal officers.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-451; 1952 Code Section 23-451; 1942 Code Section 2310; 1932 Code Section 2310; Civ. C. '22 Section 244; Civ. C. '12 Section 242; Civ. C. '02 Section 216; G. S. 220; R. S. 174; 1882 (17) 1119; 1968 (55) 2316; 2002 Act No. 261, Section 1, eff May 20, 2002; 2019 Act No. 1 (S.2), Section 87, eff January 31, 2019.  Effect of Amendment  2019 Act No. 1, Section 87, in the first sentence, substituted "Governor and Lieutenant Governor" for "Governor, Lieutenant Governor", and made nonsubstantive changes.
SC Code § 7-17-20 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 17 - Canvass Of Votes; Certificates And Records Of Results|Section 7-17-20. Canvass of votes.

 The county board of canvassers, respectively, shall then proceed to canvass the votes of the county and make such statements of such votes as the nature of the election shall require no later than noon on the Saturday next following the election and at such time shall transmit to the State Board of Canvassers the results of their findings.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-452; 1952 Code Section 23-452; 1942 Code Section 2311; 1932 Code Section 2311; Civ. C. '22 Section 245; Civ. C. '12 Section 243; Civ. C. '02 Section 217; G. S. 121; R. S. 175; 1882 (17) 1119, 1170, 1172 Section 3; 1968 (55) 2316.
SC Code § 7-17-30 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 17 - Canvass Of Votes; Certificates And Records Of Results|Section 7-17-30. Protests and contests.

 The county boards shall decide all cases under protest or contest that arise in their respective counties in the case of county officers and less than county offices, except for primaries and municipal elections. Any protest or contest must be filed in writing with the chairman of the board, together with a copy for each candidate in the race, by noon Wednesday following the day of the declaration by the board of the result of the election. However, service upon the chairman may be perfected by depositing with the county sheriff one copy of the protest, together with a copy for each candidate in the race. The sheriff must take immediate steps to deliver the copies to the chairman. The protest must contain each ground concisely stated separately. The chairman of the board must serve upon each candidate in the protested race a copy of the protest and serve a notice of the time and place of the meeting of the board for the purposes of hearing the protest.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-453; 1952 Code Section 23-453; 1942 Code Section 2311; 1932 Code Section 2311; Civ. C. '22 Section 245; Civ. C. '12 Section 243; Civ. C. '02 Section 217; G. S. 121; R. S. 175; 1882 (17) 1119, 1170, 1172 Section 3; 1968 (55) 2316; 1974 (58) 2124; 1993 Act No. 91, Section 1, eff June 14, 1993; 1996 Act No. 434, Section 24, eff June 4, 1996.
SC Code § 7-17-40 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 17 - Canvass Of Votes; Certificates And Records Of Results|Section 7-17-40. Poll lists shall accompany ballots in protests.

 The poll list of each polling place in a general, special or primary election shall accompany the ballots, printouts or other form of voter tabulation in each proceeding in which the votes cast at such polling place are involved in a protest.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-453.01; 1973 (58) 1859.