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H3556Introduced in the House

Political parties and primaries

Passed

Introduced by Brandon Newton, District 45

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Amending Section 7-17-560, Relating To The Authority Of The State Executive Committee Of A Political Party To Hear Certain Primary Protests And Contests, So As To Require The State Executive Committee To Also Hear Protests And Contests In The Case Of County Officers, Less Than County Officers, And Municipal Officers, And To Authorize The State Executive Committee To Adopt A Resolution To Require The Filing Of Any Protest Or Contest To Be Accompanied By A Refundable Deposit; By Amending Section 7-17-570, Relating To Hearings Of Primary Protests And Contests, So As To Extend The Time In Which The State Executive Committee Must Conduct Such Hearings, And To Provide For Appeals From Decisions By The State Executive Committee; By Amending Section 5-15-80, Relating To Municipal Primary Protests And Contests, So As To Provide That Such Protests And Contests Are To Be Filed, Heard, And Decided In The Manner Provided In Sections 7-17-560 And 7-17-570; By Repealing Sections 7-17-520, 7-17-530, 7-17-540, 7-17-550, 7-17-580, And 7-17-590 All Relating To Primary Protests And Contests For Certain Offices; By Amending Section 5-15-120, Relating To The Counting Of Votes In Municipal Elections, So As To Allow A Municipal Governing Body To Determine By Ordinance When The Terms Of Its Newly Elected Officers Begin; By Amending Section 7-3-25, Relating To The Duty Of The State Election Commission To Determine And Certify Results When A County Board Of Voter Registration And Elections Fails To Do So, So As To Require The Same When A Municipal Election Commission Fails To Determine And Certify Results; By Adding Section 5-15-45 So As To Provide When The Terms Of Municipal Councilmembers In Office As Of January 1, 2027 Expire; By Amending Section 5-15-50, Relating To The Establishment Of The Time For General And Special Elections Within A Municipality, So As To Require Municipal Governing Bodies To Choose One Of Two Dates For Such Elections In Odd-numbered Years; By Amending Section 5-15-60, Relating To Municipalities Adopting Methods Of Nominating Candidates And Determining Results Of Elections, So As To Only Permit Partisan Elections In Municipalities With Populations Under A Certain Amount; By Amending Section 5-15-100, Relating To The Functions, Powers, And Duties Of Municipal Election Commissions, So As To Remove Certain Functions, Powers, And Duties; By Amending Section 5-15-130, Relating To Procedures For Contesting Results Of Municipal Elections, So As To Extend The Deadlines For Filing A Notice Of Contest And For Conducting A Hearing On The Contest; By Amending Section 5-15-140, Relating To Appeals From Decisions On Municipal Election Contests, So As To Delete Language Providing The Notice Of Appeal Acts As A Stay Of Further Proceedings; And By Adding Section 5-15-175 So As To Provide That Municipal Election Commissions Only May Be Established For Municipalities With Populations Over A Certain Amount. - Ratified Title

Where it stands

Act No. 213

June 2, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House votes

2 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

1 recorded vote · each counted separately

HouseStage: House: Table Amendment 1a Amendment Number 1a · April 23, 2026

73

Yes

37

No

14

Absent or Not Voting

124 representatives recorded in this House vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each representative voted

Bill history

  1. Prefiled

  2. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. Introduced and read first time

  4. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  5. Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

  6. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Schuessler, Guest, Taylor, Hixon

  7. Amended

  8. Requests for debate-Rep

  9. Read second time

  10. Roll call Yeas-91 Nays-15

  11. Read third time and sent to Senate

  12. Scrivener's error corrected

  13. Introduced and read first time

  14. Referred to Committee on Judiciary

  15. Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

  16. Amended

  17. Read second time

  18. Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-4

  19. Read third time and returned to House with amendments

  20. Debate adjourned

  21. Debate interrupted by adjournment

  22. Senate amendment amended

  23. Returned to Senate with amendments

  24. Concurred in House amendment and enrolled

  25. Scrivener's error corrected

  26. Ratified R 177

  27. Signed By Governor

  28. Effective date See Act for Effective Date

  29. Act No. 213

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