COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A bill to require
voters to register by political party advanced Wednesday after sitting
in a subcommittee for a year.
The bill, filed in December 2004, would allow voters to cast a ballot
in a primary only if they are registered members of that party. The
requirement would take effect after May 2008. Voters could register by
party at primaries until then.
Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, said the measure "allows each party
to elect their own candidate." The state Association of Counties opposes
the bill out of concern for what it would cost to implement.
The House Election Laws Subcommittee took testimony on the bill at
least twice last year. The bill now goes to the House Judiciary
Committee.
Another bill approved by the subcommittee would prevent candidates
from running under more than one party.
