H5359

Closed primaries require voters to register with a political party to vote in partisan primaries.

This bill amends South Carolina's election laws to require voters to register with a political party to vote in partisan primaries. Voters must be registered as members of a certified political party to vote in a primary election for that party. Political parties may choose to open their primaries to unaffiliated voters. The bill also mandates that only voters who have participated in recent statewide primaries and are registered with the party for a certain period are eligible to vote in that party's primary. The changes apply to primaries conducted before June 1, 2026.