S.C. Code Ann. § 4-10-550 – Ordinance and referendum; certification of results

(A) The sales and use tax authorized by this article is imposed by an enacting ordinance of the county council.
(B) Upon receipt of the ordinance, the county election commission shall conduct a referendum on the question of imposing the sales and use tax. A referendum for this purpose must be held at the time of the general election. Two weeks before the referendum the election commission shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation the question that is to appear on the ballot. This notice is in lieu of any other notice otherwise required by law.
(C) The referendum question to be on the ballot must read substantially as follows:
"Must a (rate) sales and use tax be imposed in (county) to replace property tax revenues not collected because of a one hundred percent property tax exemption for private passenger motor vehicles, motorcycles, general aviation aircraft, boats, and boat motors otherwise taxable in the county?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]"
(D) All qualified electors desiring to vote in favor of imposing the tax shall vote "Yes" and all qualified electors opposed to imposing the tax shall vote "No". If a majority of the votes cast are in favor of imposing the tax, then the tax is imposed as provided in this article and beginning for motor vehicle tax years beginning on and after that date, and all other property tax years beginning after the year in which the referendum is held, all private passenger motor vehicles as defined in Section 56-3-630, motorcycles, general aviation aircraft, boats, and boat motors otherwise taxable in the county are exempt from property taxes levied in the county. The election commission shall conduct the referendum under the election laws of this State, mutatis mutandis, and shall certify the result no later than December thirty-first to the county governing body and to the Department of Revenue.
(E) Upon receipt of the returns of the referendum, the county council, by resolution, shall declare the results thereof. The results of the referendum may not be questioned except by a suit or proceeding instituted within thirty days from the date the resolution is adopted.