Voting rules clarified for Special Republican Primary

The South Carolina State Election Commission has set the rules regarding voter eligibility for the Tuesday, Aug. 11 Special Republican Primary.

Voters who participated in the June Democratic Primary are not eligible to vote in the Aug. 11 special election. 

Voters who participated in the June Republican Primary, or who did not vote in either party's June primary, can vote.

The Commission stated its determination is based on the requirements of South Carolina election law governing voter participation in political party primaries.

Another question concerning whether a candidate could appear on a general election ballot for more than one office has been circulating in media reports, prompting the SEC to issue this ruling:

“As a preliminary matter, South Carolina law provides that ‘[w]ritten certification of the names of all candidates to be placed on primary ballots must be made by the political party chairman, vice chairman, or secretary to the [SEC].’ S.C. Code Ann. § 7-13-40. Accordingly, the SEC will not address or comment on hypothetical or specific scenarios or opine on the qualifications of potential candidates. The SEC's role and responsibility is limited to the matters prescribed in Title 7.

“Nevertheless, in light of the statement previously attributed to the SEC, the SEC notes that section 7-11-10(B)'s prohibition pertains to a "single office." It is the SEC's position that this provision was intended to end the practice commonly referred to as "fusion voting," which previously allowed a candidate to appear multiple times on a general election ballot for a single office as the nominee for more than one political party. As a practical matter, candidates have appeared on general election ballots for more than one office in previous South Carolina elections.”