TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-160 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION, TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON REGISTERED TO VOTE MUST VERIFY HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS WITH THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTY IN WHICH HE IS AN ELECTOR, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO FAILS TO TIMELY VERIFY HIS REGISTRATION SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE REGISTRATION LIST UNTIL HE COMPLETES HIS VERIFICATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 7-5-160 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 7-5-160. (A) Effective July 1, 1976, any Any person who is registered to vote according to law shall remain permanently registered and entitled to all rights and privileges of such registration unless, provided that:
(1) he verifies his qualifications for registration, including his address, with the county board of voter registration and elections in the county in which he is an elector at least once every three years prior to the closing of the books of registration preceding the primary election for representatives; and
(2) his name is not removed from the registration list for cause.
(B) A person who does not timely verify his qualifications for registration pursuant to subsection (A)(1) shall be removed from the registration list until he completes the verification process.
(C) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to modify or repeal any of the provisions of this title or acts of the General Assembly which establish registration procedures and prescribe the causes for termination of registration or purging of registration rolls except those which require re-registration at ten-year intervals."
SECTION 2. The initial qualifications for verification required pursuant to this act must be completed prior to the closing of the books of registration preceding the 2022 primary election for representatives.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.