The State of South Carolina has enacted the Secure, Accurate, and Verifiable Elections (SAVE) Act with the stated goal of strengthening public confidence in elections. State leaders have said the law is designed to:
- Ensure only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote and able to cast a ballot.
- Establish uniform election procedures across all counties to reduce the risk of errors or inconsistencies.
- Improve security and transparency through measures like voter ID verification, paper-only ballot systems, and public access to ballot counting.
In the State’s words, the SAVE Act is about “creating a consistent, secure, and fully auditable voting process in every South Carolina county” so that residents can have confidence their vote is counted accurately.
What the SAVE Act Requires Counties to Do
- Categorize and Maintain Voter Lists
Counties must label each voter registration as active, inactive, or archived, and provide these lists free to qualified electors.
- Issue Voter ID Cards at Registration
Every voter must present valid ID when registering, and counties must issue a voter ID card immediately.
- Paper Poll Books Only
All polling locations must use paper poll books—digital systems are no longer allowed.
- Precinct Size Limits
If a precinct’s registered voter count exceeds the state-set limit, counties must create a new precinct within one year or face penalties.
- Increased Staffing at Polls
Four election managers are required for every 250 registered voters; each ballot must bear the initials of two managers.
- Hand-Marked, Hand-Counted Ballots
Ballots must be marked on secure paper, hand-counted, and handled under strict chain-of-custody procedures.
- Public Access to Counting
Residents can observe ballot counting, provided they don’t interfere with the process.
- Local Posting of Results
Counties must publish election results locally before sending them to the State Election Commission.
- Tighter Absentee Rules
Absentee ballots require ID, signature, witness, and same-day delivery to precincts on Election Day.
What Powers Shift from Counties to the State
- State Control Over Enforcement: The State Election Commission now has exclusive authority to audit elections, investigate irregularities, and take corrective action.
- No Local Variations in Process: Counties must follow uniform rules for voter list management, polling book formats, ballot handling, and precinct creation.
- Loss of Technology Flexibility: Counties can no longer choose to use approved digital tools for poll books or other election-day processes.
The Pros and Cons
Positives
- Creates a consistent process statewide, reducing the chance of procedural disputes.
- Enhances ballot security and transparency through chain-of-custody rules, public viewing, and uniform reporting.
- Requires voter roll maintenance to keep registration lists current and accurate.
Negatives
- Adds significant staffing and operational burdens to counties, especially smaller precincts with limited resources.
- Removes local flexibility to address unique community needs or adopt new technology.
- Requires infrastructure adjustments that may increase costs for counties. For Greenville County, preliminary estimates suggest the additional staffing, printing, equipment, and training requirements could cost between $250,000 and $400,000 per election cycle, depending on precinct changes and the scale of paper ballot handling. These costs include extra election workers, ballot printing, secure storage facilities, transportation for ballots, and training for poll managers.
What We’re Doing in Greenville County
I’m currently drafting a County Council resolution to:
- Ensure Greenville County is fully compliant with the SAVE Act through updated procedures, staffing plans, and training.
- Address budgetary needs for additional election workers, paper systems, and precinct adjustments.
- Outline specific concerns we will bring to our legislative delegation, to protect election integrity while preserving some flexibility for local administration.
My priority is that Greenville County’s elections remain secure, transparent, and responsive to voters, and that we meet every requirement of the new law while ensuring your ability to cast your ballot is smooth and accessible.
For those who want to read the full bill text of the (SAVE) Act, you can find it here:
