Local officials need a solid understanding of the laws governing how municipal elections are operated in order to provide residents with a voice in the future of their hometown.
In many cases, cities and towns contract with their county elections office to administer the elections, for reasons such as cost savings, or a lack of volunteers available to serve either on municipal election commissions or as poll workers. Whether or not the county handles the municipal elections, there are critical parts of the process that municipal officials should know.
The upcoming Hometown Legislative Action Day, taking place in Columbia on Tuesday, February 4, will spotlight the topic of local elections. Charlie Barrineau and Jeff Shacker, the Municipal Association's field services managers, will share an overview of crucial requirements for municipal elections, answer a number of election-related questions they often receive from local officials, and present a few unusual scenarios that they have been confronted with in their travels across the state.
As in past years, multiple educational offerings for the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government and Advanced Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government will take place in Columbia on Wednesday, February 5, the day after HLAD. For those who have graduated from the Advanced Institute, offerings will also include courses of the Advanced Continuing Education track, including "Municipal Elections 101."
Anyone interested in diving into the specifics of administering a city election can take a look at the Municipal Election Commission Handbook, which the Municipal Association developed in partnership with the SC State Election Commission. Here are a handful of takeaways from it:
- Municipal election commissions need to begin planning for an election at least six to seven months before the date of the election to provide enough time for all of its duties — publishing notices, coordinating with the county election commission and training poll workers, among other needs.
- Public notice of elections must first be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least 60 days before the election, but the best practice is to time it about 90 days before the election. A second notice must be published exactly two weeks after the first. The 90-day window helps with candidate filing deadlines — 75 days before the election for candidates filing by petition, and 60 days for candidates filing a statement of intention of candidacy.
- In cities and towns using the majority-runoff method of election, runoffs are held two weeks after the election if no candidate for an office receives a majority of the votes cast. Also, runoff elections are required when there is a tie result in which two or more candidates receive the same number of votes. State law requires special elections when an office becomes vacant more than 180 days before the next election.
2020 HLAD, MEO Institute details
Hotel reservations deadline
Friday, January 3
Make hotel reservations at the Columbia Marriott by calling 1.800.593.6465 or 1.803.771.7000 and asking for the Municipal Association of SC HLAD rate of $159 plus taxes.Preregistration deadline for HLAD and MEO Institute
Thursday, January 23Hometown Legislative Action Day
Tuesday, February 4
Columbia MarriottMunicipal Elected Officials Institute of Government, Advanced Institute and Advanced Continuing Education
Wednesday, February 5
Columbia Marriott