reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
SC Code § 7-15-310 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-310. Definitions.

 As used in this article:  (1) "Members of the Armed Forces of the United States" means members of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Coast Guard, or any of their respective components.  (2) "Members of the Merchant Marine of the United States" means all officers and men engaged in maritime service on board ships.  (3) "Students" means all persons residing outside of the counties of their respective residences, enrolled in an institution of learning.  (4) "Physically disabled person" means a person who, because of injury or illness, cannot be present in person at his voting place on election day.  (5) "Registration form" means Standard Form 76, or a subsequent form replacing it, authorized by the federal government or the state form described in Section 7-15-120.  (6) "Persons in employment" means those persons who by virtue of their employment obligations are unable to vote in person.  (7) "Authorized representative" means a registered elector who, with the voter's permission, acts on behalf of a voter unable to go to the polls because of illness or disability resulting in his confinement in a hospital, sanatorium, nursing home, or place of residence, or a voter unable because of a physical handicap to go to his polling place or because of a handicap is unable to vote at his polling place due to existing architectural barriers that deny him physical access to the polling place, voting booth, or voting apparatus or machinery. Under no circumstance shall a candidate or a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff or volunteers reimbursed for the time they expend on campaign activity be considered an "authorized representative" of an elector desiring to vote by absentee ballot.  (8) "Immediate family" means a person's spouse, parents, children, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, and mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law.  (9) "Overseas citizen" means a citizen of the United States residing outside of the United States as specified by Section 7-15-110.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-441; 1953 (48) 423; 1966 (54) 2376; 1973 (58) 73; 1975 (59) 815; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No; 266, Sections 5, 6, eff January 27, 1984; 2000 Act No. 392, Section 10, eff August 1, 2000; 2015 Act No. 79 (H.3154), Section 4, eff June 11, 2015.
SC Code § 7-15-340 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-340. Form of application for absentee ballot.

 The application required in Section 7-15-330 to be submitted to these election officials must be in a form prescribed and distributed by the State Election Commission; except that persons listed in Section 7-15-320(2), (3), (6), and (10) may use Standard Form 76, or any subsequent form replacing it, provided by the federal government as a simultaneous request for registration and an absentee ballot or a request for an absentee ballot if already registered.  The application must contain the following information: name, registration certificate number, address, absentee address, election of ballot request, election date, runoff preference, party preference, reason for request, oath of voter, and voter's signature.  The oath must be as follows: "I do swear or affirm that I am a qualified elector, that I am entitled to vote in this election, and that I will not vote again during this election. The information above is true in all respects, and I hereby apply for an absentee ballot for the reason indicated above." Any person who fraudulently applies for an absentee ballot in violation of this section, upon conviction, must be punished in accordance with Section 7-25-20.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-444; 1953 (48) 423; 1971 (57) 85; 1975 (59) 815; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No. 266, Section 9, eff January 27, 1984; 1984 Act No. 402, Section 2, eff May 24, 1984; 1989 Act No. 48, Section 1, eff April 6, 1989; 1990 Act No. 356, Section 1, eff March 19, 1990; 1992 Act No. 489, Section 2, eff July 1, 1992; 1994 Act No. 365, Section 4, eff May 3, 1994; 1995 Act No. 80, Section 2, eff June 12, 1995; 1996 Act No; 434, Section 20, eff June 4, 1996; 2004 Act No. 236, Section 1, eff May 24, 2004.
SC Code § 7-15-360 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-360. Furnishing ballots and envelopes.

 The board of registration of each county must be furnished by the commissioners of election of the county or the county committee for each political party holding a primary, a sufficient number of ballots and envelopes not to exceed fifteen percent of the number of registered voters in that county to enable the board of registration to deliver these materials to qualified electors who desire to vote by absentee ballot. If an absentee ballot is not available at the time the voter requests it, the board of registration must provide a blank ballot to allow the voter to write in his: (1) selections of candidates; (2) selection of party, if he wishes to vote a straight party ticket; and (3) support or opposition of any ballot measure.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1996 Act No. 434, Section 21, eff June 4, 1996.
SC Code § 7-15-365 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-365. Ballots and instructions furnished by county board of voter registration and elections.

 The board of voter registration and elections of each county must be furnished by the municipal election commission of each municipality holding an election or the executive committee of a municipal party holding a primary, a sufficient number of ballots, envelopes, and instructions to the absentee voter not to exceed fifteen percent of the number of registered voters in the municipality and sufficient postage to enable the board of voter registration and elections to deliver materials to qualified electors desiring to vote by absentee ballot. The envelope required by item (4) of Section 7-15-370 must bear the return address of the county board of voter registration and elections. If an absentee ballot is not available at the time the voter requests it, the board of voter registration and elections must provide a blank ballot to allow the voter to write in his: (1) selections of candidates; (2) selection of party, if he wishes to vote a straight party ticket; and (3) support or opposition of any ballot measure.  HISTORY: 1984 Act No. 266, Section 10, eff January 27, 1984; 1996 Act No. 434, Section 22, eff June 4, 1996.
SC Code § 7-15-370 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-370. Furnishing ballots and envelopes; duties of county board of voter registration and elections.

 Upon receipt of the ballots and envelopes, the county board of voter registration and elections must, as soon as possible, furnish the following items to each person qualified to receive an absentee ballot and who has validly completed a written application for an absentee ballot:  (1) one of each ballot to be used in the election;  (2) printed instructions as to the marking, folding, and return of each ballot and as to the signing (and return) of the oath;  (3) an envelope marked 'Ballot Herein' in which all completed ballots are to be placed;  (4) a return-addressed envelope imprinted on the back with the oath set forth in Section 7-15-385 to be used for the return of the unmarked envelope (and enclosed ballots) to the board of voter registration and elections;  (5) any additional oath, instructions, or information necessary to enable the absentee ballot applicant to execute and return a ballot legally acceptable by the officials charged with conducting the election.  The board of voter registration and elections must record in the record book required by Section 7-15-330 to be kept by the board the date these materials are requested by written application and the date they are issued to the qualified elector. Election materials which are mailed must be sent to the voter's absentee mailing address.  If absentee ballots are not available at the time the voter requests one, the board of voter registration and elections must provide a blank ballot to allow the voter to write in his: (1) selections of candidates; (2) selection of party, if he wishes to vote straight party ticket; and (3) support or opposition of any ballot measure.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1990 Act No. 357, Section 5, eff March 19, 1990; 1996 Act No. 434, Section 23, eff June 4, 1996.
SC Code § 7-15-375 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-375. Return envelope for absentee ballot.

 The return-addressed envelope required by item (4) of Section 7-15-370 to be sent to each absentee ballot applicant shall have printed on its face in the upper left hand corner the words 'Absentee ballots for __________ County, __________ (county seat), South Carolina.' All blanks on the face of the envelope shall be filled in by the county board of voter registration and elections prior to the issuance of the ballot to the absentee ballot applicant. On the back shall appear blanks which the voter shall fill in with his name and address.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982.
SC Code § 7-15-380 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-380. Oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception.

 (A) The oath, which is required by Section 7-15-370 to be imprinted on the return-addressed envelope, furnished each absentee ballot applicant, must be signed by the absentee ballot applicant and witnessed. The address of the witness shall appear on the oath. In the event the voter cannot write because of a physical handicap or illiteracy, the voter must make his mark and have the mark witnessed by someone designated by the voter. The oath must be in the following form:  "I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am duly qualified to vote at this election according to the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, that I have not voted during this election, that the ballot or ballots contained in this envelope is my ballot and that I have received no assistance in voting my ballot that I would not have been entitled to receive had I voted in person at my voting precinct."  ____________________________________  Signature of Voter  Dated on this ______ day of ____________ 20 ___  ____________________  Signature of Witness  ____________________  Address of Witness  (B) Qualified voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act are exempt from witness requirements in subsection (A).  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1996 Act No. 416, Section 1, eff June 4, 1996; 2011 Act No. 43, Section 7, eff upon contingency, see editor's note, (approved June 7, 2011).  Editor's Note  2011 Act No. 43, Sections 1 and 10, provide as follows:  "SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the 'South Carolina Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act'."  "SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon preclearance approval by the United States Department of Justice or approval by a declaratory judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, whichever occurs first." [Preclearance approval received August 22, 2011.]
SC Code § 7-15-385 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-385. Marking ballot; return; records; storage.

 Upon receipt of the ballot or ballots, the absentee ballot applicant must mark each ballot on which he wishes to vote and place each ballot in the single envelope marked "Ballot Herein" which in turn must be placed in the return-addressed envelope. The applicant must then return the return-addressed envelope to the board of voter registration and elections by mail, by personal delivery, or by authorizing another person to return the envelope for him. The authorization must be given in writing on a form prescribed by the State Election Commission and must be turned in to the board of voter registration and elections at the time the envelope is returned. The voter must sign the form, or in the event the voter cannot write because of a physical handicap or illiteracy, the voter must make his mark and have the mark witnessed by someone designated by the voter. The authorization must be preserved as part of the record of the election, and the board of voter registration and elections must note the authorization and the name of the authorized returnee in the record book required by Section 7-15-330. A candidate or a member of a candidate's paid campaign staff including volunteers reimbursed for time expended on campaign activity is not permitted to serve as an authorized returnee for any person unless the person is a member of the voter's immediate family as defined in Section 7-15-310. The oath set forth in Section 7-15-380 must be signed and witnessed on each returned envelope. The board of voter registration and elections must record in the record book required by Section 7-15-330 the date the return-addressed envelope with witnessed oath and enclosed ballot or ballots is received by the board. The board must securely store the envelopes in a locked box within the office of the board of voter registration and elections.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1987 Act No. 59 Section 1, eff April 28, 1987; 1996 Act No. 416, Section 2, eff June 4, 1996.
SC Code § 7-15-390 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-390. Absentee balloting in primary and special elections; municipal elections.

 Absentee balloting in the primary, special, and municipal elections must be in accordance with the provisions of Title 7.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No. 266, Section 11, eff January 27, 1984.
SC Code § 7-15-395 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-395. Responsibilities of political parties; expenses.

 Any political party conducting a primary in this State is responsible for carrying out the provisions of this article by making ballots and election material available so that the persons named in Section 7-15-320 may be enabled to vote in primary elections. All expenses incurred by any political party in conducting elections subject to the provisions of this article shall be borne by such political party.  HISTORY: 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982.
SC Code § 7-15-410 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-410. Absentee voting precinct established in each county; location.

 In each county there must be established an absentee voting precinct located in the office of the county board of voter registration and elections. The county board of voter registration and elections, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party, or executive committee of each municipal party in the case of primary elections is responsible for the tabulation and reporting of ballots at the absentee voting precinct. The absentee ballots must remain in the custody of the county board of voter registration and elections until transferred to the county board of voter registration and elections, municipal election commission, county committee for each political party or executive committee of each municipal party for the purpose of tabulation and reporting as provided in Section 7-15-420.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-450.1; 1971 (57) 97; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No. 266, Section 12, eff January 27, 1984.
SC Code § 7-15-420 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-420. Receipt, tabulation, and reporting of absentee ballots.

 Section effective until December 31, 2021. See, also, section effective December 31, 2021.  (A) The county board of voter registration and elections, municipal election commission, or executive committee of each municipal party in the case of municipal primary elections is responsible for the tabulation and reporting of absentee ballots.  (B) At 9:00 a.m. on the calendar day immediately preceding election day, the managers appointed pursuant to Section 7-5-10, and in the presence of any watchers who have been appointed pursuant to Section 7-13-860, may begin the process of examining the return-addressed envelopes that have been received by the county board of voter registration and elections making certain that each oath has been properly signed and witnessed and includes the address of the witness. All return-addressed envelopes received by the county board of voter registration and elections before the time for closing the polls must be examined in this manner. A ballot may not be counted unless the oath is properly signed and witnessed nor may any ballot be counted which is received by the county board of voter registration and elections after time for closing of the polls. The printed instructions required by Section 7-15-370(2) to be sent each absentee ballot applicant must notify him that his vote will not be counted in either of these events. If a ballot is not challenged, the sealed return-addressed envelope must be opened by the managers, and the enclosed envelope marked "Ballot Herein" removed and placed in a locked box or boxes.  (C) After all return-addressed envelopes have been emptied, but no earlier than 9:00 a.m. on election day, the managers shall remove the ballots contained in the envelopes marked "Ballot Herein", placing each one in the ballot box provided for the applicable contest.  (D) Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on election day, the absentee ballots may be tabulated, including any absentee ballots received on election day before the polls are closed. If any ballot is challenged, the return-addressed envelope must not be opened, but must be put aside and the procedure set forth in Section 7-13-830 must be utilized; but the absentee voter must be given reasonable notice of the challenged ballot. Results of the tabulation must not be publicly reported until after the polls are closed.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-450.2; 1971 (57) 97; 1980 Act No. 376, Section 1, eff April 23, 1980; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No. 266, Section 13, eff January 27, 1984; 1990 Act No. 357, Section 6, eff March 19, 1990; 1992 Act No. 253, Section 9, eff February 19, 1992; 1996 Act No. 227, Section 1, eff February 12, 1996; 2006 Act No. 284, Section 3, eff May 19, 2006; 2020 Act No. 133 (S.635), Section 1.B, eff May 13, 2020.
SC Code § 7-15-430 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-430. Absentee voters noted on registration lists; voting by persons who have been issued absentee ballots.

 Prior to the distribution of voter registration lists to the various precincts, the county board of voter registration and elections shall note opposite the name of each registered voter who has voted by absentee ballot the fact of such voting or that an absentee ballot has been issued to a voter, as the case may be.  No voter whose name is so marked on the registration list as having voted shall be permitted to vote in person in his resident precinct and no voter who has been issued an absentee ballot may vote whether such ballot has been cast or not, unless he shall furnish to the officials of his resident precinct a certificate from the county board of voter registration and elections that his absentee ballot has been returned to the board unmarked.  Should any voter be issued an absentee ballot after the board has released the registration books to be used in the election to the county board of voter registration and elections, municipal election commission, county committee, executive committee of any municipal party, or poll managers, the board of voter registration and elections shall immediately notify in writing the county board of voter registration and elections, municipal election commission, county committee, executive committee of any municipal party, or poll manager, as the case may be, of the name, address, and certificate number of each voter who has since been issued an absentee ballot and the registration books must be appropriately marked that the voter has been issued an absentee ballot.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-450.3; 1971 (57) 97; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1984 Act No. 266, Section 14, eff January 27, 1984.
SC Code § 7-15-440 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-440. List of persons issued and who cast absentee ballots.

 The county board of voter registration and elections shall, after each election, prepare a list of all persons to whom absentee ballots were issued and all persons who cast absentee ballots. The list so compiled shall be made available for public inspection upon request. This list is in addition to the information provided pursuant to Section 7-15-330.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-450.4; 1971 (57) 97; 2020 Act No. 133 (S.635), Section 1.F, eff May 13, 2020.  Effect of Amendment  2020 Act No. 133, Section 1.F, added the third sentence.
SC Code § 7-15-450 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 7 - Elections|Chapter 15 - Absentee Registration And Voting|Section 7-15-450. Application of article.

 This article applies to political parties holding a primary and any other authorities conducting an election.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 23-450.5; 1975 (59) 815; 1982 Act No. 280, Section 1, eff February 24, 1982; 1992 Act No. 253, Section 10, eff February 19, 1992.
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 until December 31, 2021. See, also, section effective December 31, 2021.  (A) 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:  (1) the voting machine or voting system meets all statutory requirements for use in the State;  (2) the voting machine or voting system can be secured against voting at times other than business hours of the county board of voter registration and elections; and  (3) the results of elections can be held secure from release until the time for counting ballots at any polling place.  (B) 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.