A measure that would allow all voters to cast absentee ballots in the November election was approved Tuesday by the South Carolina House.
The legislation, approved in a 115-1 vote, now heads to Gov. Henry McMaster, who is expected to sign the bill.
“The bill strikes a good balance between protecting South Carolinians and the integrity of the voting process,” said Brian Symmes, McMaster’s communications director.
Absentee voting usually is limited to voters who meet specific qualifications to be able to cast mail-in ballots, but H. 5305 allows all voters to cast absentee ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the November election.
The bill designates a timeline for absentee ballot applications and permits in-office absentee voting beginning Oct. 5.
Absentee ballots are required to be returned by mail or by delivering the ballot in a sealed envelope by hand to the County Board of Elections during office hours, either personally or by an authorized representative.
Lawmakers debated an amendment that would have allowed ballot drop boxes, but the amendment was voted down.
Ballots will be required to be signed by a witness. An amendment that would have removed the requirement for absentee ballots to be signed by a witness before submission was debated but not approved.
“We wanted to maintain current election law but allow more flexibility, in both the timing of and the fact that you can vote absentee,” said Rep. Gary Simrill, R-York.
To accommodate the high volume of absentee ballots anticipated to be cast, the bill allows County Boards of Election to begin preparing ballots for counting at 7 a.m. Nov. 1, and tabulation may begin at 7 a.m. Nov. 3. Results of absentee ballot tabulation may not be publicly reported until after polls are closed.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously earlier this month.
South Carolina’s legislature reconvened Tuesday for the first day of a two-week special session to complete business left unfinished because of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.
