South Carolina cities must follow set election dates starting in 2027

Most city and town governments must schedule regular elections for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April or November in odd-numbered years. Cities may set when elected officials start, from 48 hours after results are certified through 80 days after election day. Without a local rule, terms start at the first regular council meeting the next month. Cities using the November date in odd-numbered years on or after January 1, 2027, must keep it. Cities that do not choose a date within 90 days default to November unless the even-year exception applies. Cities whose most recent elections before January 1, 2027, used the specified April or November dates in even-numbered years may keep those dates. Their officials are exempt from the term transition rules. Unexpired four-year terms following 2023 elections end when successors start after the April 6 or November 2, 2027, election. Those following 2024 or 2025 elections end after the April 3 or November 6, 2029, election. Those following 2026 elections end after the April 8 or November 4, 2031, election. Unexpired two-year terms following 2025 elections end when successors start after the April 6 or November 2, 2027, election. Those following 2026 elections end when successors start after the April 3 or November 6, 2029, election. The election-date and term transition rules take effect January 1, 2027. The rules allowing cities to set when elected officials start took effect May 19, 2026.

City and town governments may use party nominations only when their population is below 39,000. Cities may choose among three methods without party nominations. Party primaries, conventions, or petition nominations are permitted only below the population limit. Population is measured by the most recent official United States census. Cities above 39,000 residents that use party nominations on January 1, 2027, must choose a method without party nominations by April 1, 2027. If they do not, the law’s default nonpartisan method applies until revised by local ordinance. These rules take effect January 1, 2027.

County election boards must run and certify elections for cities and towns below 10,000 residents. For a city entirely within one county, that county’s election board runs and certifies its elections. Population is measured by the most recent official United States census. City election commissions are permitted only at populations of 10,000 or more. For a city spanning several counties, boards with registered voters in the city must jointly run its elections. The board in the county containing the city’s main office certifies the results. Cities must repay county boards for reasonable election costs under a schedule provided by the State Election Commission. The county election duties and abolition of smaller cities’ election commissions take effect January 1, 2027.

Political parties’ state executive committees hear primary election challenges and may require a deposit for hearing costs. These rules cover primaries for federal and state offices, offices spanning counties, and partisan county and local offices, including city offices. A party may require a deposit of up to $750 only through a resolution adopted at least 60 days before the primary. A candidate receives a refund only if the committee upholds the challenge or the South Carolina Supreme Court grants the petition for review. Challenges must be filed by noon on the Monday following the official vote count. The committee must hear them within two weeks of the filing deadline. Supreme Court review uses only the committee’s hearing record. The court may charge filing fees. These provisions took effect May 19, 2026. Notice seeking Supreme Court review must be served within 10 days of the committee’s decision.

The State Election Commission must determine and certify results when a county election board or city election commission misses its legal deadline. Backup certification covers elections and referendums handled by county election boards or city election commissions. The challenge deadlines cover city election results. A candidate must file a city election challenge by noon on the Monday following certification. A legal holiday moves the deadline to noon on the next day that is not a legal holiday. The city election commission must hold a hearing by the Saturday following the filing deadline. If its decision invalidates the election, the council must order another election for those affected. A party harmed by the commission’s decision may appeal to the trial court within 10 days of notice. The notice of appeal must be served on opposing parties or their lawyers and filed with the court clerk within 10 days. A certified winner may take office while a challenge is pending unless a court orders otherwise. These provisions took effect May 19, 2026.