Types of ballot measures in South Carolina

Types of ballot measures
Initiated
• Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum
Legislative
• Legislative constitutional amendment
• Legislative state statute
• Legislative bond issue
• Advisory question
Other
• Automatic ballot referral
• Commission-referred measure
• Convention-referred amendment
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures.
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In South Carolina, the state Legislature can vote to refer measures to the ballot. Citizens of South Carolina do not have the power to initiate statewide ballot measures. This page provides an overview of the different types of ballot measures that can appear on state ballots in South Carolina.

The types of state ballot measures in South Carolina are:

• Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
• Advisory questions
• Constitutional convention questions

Citizen-initiated ballot measures

In South Carolina, citizens do not have the power to initiate ballot measures at the state level.

Legislative referrals

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the South Carolina State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 82 votes in the South Carolina House of Representatives and 30 votes in the South Carolina State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

In South Carolina, the Legislature needs to approve a constitutional amendment for a second time after voters approve the amendment. This second vote requires a simple majority in the House and Senate.

Advisory questions

See also: Advisory question

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the South Carolina State Legislature to place an advisory question on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 63 votes in the South Carolina House of Representatives and 24 votes in the South Carolina State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Advisory questions require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Constitutional convention questions

See also: Constitutional convention question

According to Section 3 of Article XVI of the South Carolina Constitution, a constitutional convention can be held if two-thirds of the members of both houses of the South Carolina State Legislature vote to put the question on the ballot.

Political party advisory questions

See also: Political party advisory question

A political party advisory question is a ballot measure placed on primary ballots by a political party. The advisory questions are not legally binding on the party but are used to gauge voter sentiment about party positions.

In South Carolina, state law governing the administration of elections states, "Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any party from submitting to party members any question or issue." State law requires state and county political parties to submit questions by April 5 for the June primary.

Other types of ballot measures

Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:

Types of state ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measure

• Initiated constitutional amendment

• Direct initiated constitutional amendment

• Indirect initiated constitutional amendment

• Initiated state statute

• Direct initiated state statute

• Indirect initiated state statute

• Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute

• Veto referendum

• Statute affirmation (Nevada)

Legislatively referred ballot measure

• Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

• Legislatively referred state statute

• Legislatively referred bond measure

• Advisory question

Other type of state ballot measure

• Automatic ballot referral

• Constitutional convention question

• Commission-referred ballot measure

• Convention-referred constitutional amendment

• Political party advisory question

See also

• List of South Carolina ballot measures
• Laws governing ballot measures in South Carolina
• Laws governing the initiative process
• States with initiative or referendum
• States without initiative or referendum
• Amending state constitutions