H5183

Closed primaries

Introduced·2/12/26
Introduced Text

South Carolina H5183 establishes closed primaries, allowing only registered party members to vote in partisan primaries.

South Carolina H5183 amends state election laws to implement closed primaries, meaning only registered members of a political party can vote in that party's primary election. The bill requires voters to register as members of a political party to participate in partisan primaries, with an option to register as unaffiliated. It mandates that voter registration applications include political party affiliation and that county boards of voter registration and elections inform voters of these procedures. The changes will take effect after the first primary conducted after January 1, 2027.

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Where it stands

Current
Judiciary Committee
Next
Committee decision

Sponsors

0
31
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Democratic CaucusRepublican Caucus

Calendar

Mar 3

3:00 PM

House Tort Reform Ad Hoc Committee on 4544, 4670, 5183

History

Apr 15

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lastinger

Feb 12

House

Introduced and read first time

Feb 12

House

Referred to Committee on Judiciary