South Carolina Gubernatorial Elections, Amendment 1 (2012)

Gubernatorial Elections Amendment
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Type:	legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
Constitution:	South Carolina Constitution
Referred by:	South Carolina Legislature
Topic:	Elections
Status:	a

The South Carolina Gubernatorial Elections Amendment was on the November 6, 2012 ballot in the state of South Carolina as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved. The measure required that candidates for governor to select their running mates for lieutenant governor. The proposal was introduced in 2011 legislative session.

Election results

See also: 2012 ballot measure election results

The following are official election results:

South Carolina Amendment 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,009,367	55.51%
No		809,063	44.49%

46 out of 46 counties completely reported.

Results via South Carolina State Election Commission.

Text of measure

The official ballot text read as follows:

Amendment 1

Beginning with the general election of 2018, must Section 8 of Article IV of the Constitution of this State be amended to provide that the Lieutenant Governor must be elected jointly with the Governor in a manner prescribed by law; and upon the joint election to add Section 37 to Article III of the Constitution of this State to provide that the Senate shall elect from among the members thereof a President to preside over the Senate and to perform other duties as provided by law; to delete Sections 9 and 10 of Article IV of the Constitution of this State containing inconsistent provisions providing that the Lieutenant Governor is President of the Senate, ex officio, and while presiding in the Senate, has no vote, unless the Senate is equally divided; to amend Section 11 to provide that the Governor shall fill a vacancy in the Office of Lieutenant Governor by appointing a successor with the advice and consent of the Senate; and to amend Section 12 of Article IV of the Constitution of this State to conform appropriate references?

Explanation

A 'Yes' vote will require, from 2018 onward, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to run on the same ticket and be elected to office jointly. As a result, the Lieutenant Governor will no longer preside over the Senate and the Senate will elect their presiding officer from within the Senate body.

A ‘No' vote maintains the current method of electing the Governor and Lieutenant Governor separately. The Lieutenant Governor shall continue to serve as President of the Senate.

Support

No formal campaign in favor of the measure was identified by Ballotpedia.

Opposition

No formal campaign in opposition of the measure was identified by Ballotpedia.

Path to the ballot

Section 1 of Article XVI of the South Carolina Constitution says that a legislatively-referred amendment can go on the ballot if approved by a 2/3rds vote of each house of the South Carolina State Legislature.

During late April 2011 the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure to be considered before the full Senate with a vote of 18-4.

On April 26, 2012, the measure passed the Senate with a vote of 34-1. The measure was later approved by the South Carolina House of Representatives, and therefore it was sent to the ballot

See also

By Eric Veram Ballot measure writer

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• 2012 ballot measures
• South Carolina 2012 ballot measures

External links

• H. 3152 (text of bill)