Martin: Law needed to avoid 2nd election debacle

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin warns another election in South Carolina could be thrown into chaos unless the Legislature passes a law dealing with the structure of county election offices.

His warning follows an opinion from the attorney general’s office that a 2008 law on combined county election commissions and boards of voter registration is unconstitutional. Martin says if someone challenged that law, a verdict could jeopardize the elections, especially if it came weeks before polls open.

Martin says he’s not willing to risk another election debacle, just two years after a lawsuit resulted in hundreds of candidates being kicked off primary ballots.

He urges his colleagues to pass his bill creating a statewide governance model, which advanced to the Senate floor earlier this month. Another senator is blocking debate.