SC Senate Passes Bill to Fix Ballot Issue

 

With the courts removing over 200 Republicans and 40 Democrats from last June’s South Carolina primary election ballots due to conflicting ethics and election laws, the South Carolina Senate has passed a bill designed to prevent the issue from coming up again.

Named the “Equal Access to the Ballot Act,” bill S.2 sponsored by Senators Chip Campsen, Larry Martin, Ronnie Cromer, and Wes Hayes will equalize filing requirements of both incumbents and challengers.

It also clarifies the law so that candidates seeking Congressional, Statewide, or district offices including more than one county must file a Statement of Intention of Candidacy (SIC) with the State Election Commission, and that General Assembly candidates must file a SIC with the election commission of the county in which they reside.

Candidates must also file a Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) electronically with the State Ethics Commission.  Incumbents and challengers will be treated equally, with both being required to file a SEI by noon on March 30 for any year which there is a general election.

Those who fail to file an SEI by the close of the filing period will be subject to a fine and then given a grace period to file the proper paperwork, rather than being immediately removed from the ballot.  Candidates who intentionally refuse to comply with the filing requirements after repeated notices and fines will not be allowed to take office until a completed SEI is filed.

“Last year, voters were denied choices because of a small technicality,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin. “This bill will ensure that voters will be given the choices they deserve, and eliminate the potential for an issue like the one we had in 2012.”

Senator Campsen said that the issue needs to be resolved quickly. “An issue which removed more than 250 candidates from the primary ballot is definitely one that needed to be addressed as soon as possible,” Campsen said. “Voters can now be assured that they will have the opportunity to vote for the candidate they choose.”

The bill now moves to the House for debate.