Notwithstanding any other provision of law:

1. (A) Effective March 15, 1997, there is established the Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Colleton County to be composed of nine members appointed to office by the Governor; four of the members must be appointed upon the recommendation of the senators representing the county and the remaining five members must be appointed upon the recommendation of the legislative delegation from the county. A member may not be a paid employee of the board or of the former Colleton County Board of Voter Registration or of the former Colleton County Election Commission. The term of office for the members of the board is two years commencing on the fifteenth day of March in each odd-numbered year. In case of a vacancy from any cause on the board, the vacancy must be filled in the same manner of original appointment, as provided in this section, for the unexpired term. The members of the board by majority vote shall elect the board's chairman, and the chairman shall serve a term of two years and may be re-elected to that office for any number of successive terms without limitation.
2. (B) The Governor shall notify the State Election Commission in writing of the appointments made under subsection (A).
3. (C) The Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Colleton County shall notify the State Election Commission in writing of the name of the person elected as chairman of the board under subsection (A).
4. (D) Except as otherwise specifically provided in subsections (A), (B), and (C), the provisions of law contained in Title 7 relating to county boards of voter registration and county election commissions apply to the Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Colleton County, mutatis mutandis.

5. (E)

   1. (1) The Colleton County Board of Voter Registration is abolished effective March 15, 1997, and its functions, duties, and powers are devolved upon the Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Colleton County as established under subsection (A).
   2. (2) The Colleton County Election Commission is abolished effective March 15, 1997, and its functions, duties, and powers are devolved upon the Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Colleton County as established under subsection (A).

6. (F)

   1. (1) The terms of the members of the Colleton County Board of Voter Registration, regardless of when these members were appointed to office or when their current terms would otherwise have expired, expire for all purposes upon the abolishment of that board as provided under subsection (E)(1).
   2. (2) The terms of the members of the Colleton County Election Commission, regardless of when these members were appointed to office or when their current terms would otherwise have expired, expire for all purposes upon abolishment of that commission as provided under subsection (E)(2).
7. (G) Notwithstanding subsection (F) or any other provision of law, a person serving as a member of the Colleton County Board of Voter Registration or the Colleton County Election Commission may not be removed from office, nor shall that board and that commission be abolished, until this section has been given final approval by the United States Department of Justice.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 312, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 12, 2008).