Signing and witnessing of oath of absentee ballot applicant; exception.

(A) The oath, a copy of which is required by Section 7-15-200(2) to be sent each absentee ballot applicant and which is required by Section 7-15-230 to be returned with the absentee ballot applicant's ballot, shall be signed by the absentee ballot applicant and witnessed by a person who is at least eighteen years of age. The oath shall be in the following form: "I hereby swear (or affirm) that I am duly qualified to vote at this election according to the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, that I have not voted during this election, that the ballot or ballots with which this oath is enclosed is my ballot and that I have received no assistance in voting my ballot that I would not have been entitled to receive had I voted in person at my voting precinct." (B) Qualified voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act are exempt from witness requirements in subsection (A). Editor's Note 2011 Act No. 43, SECTIONS 1 and 10, provide as follows: "SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the 'South Carolina Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act'." "SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon preclearance approval by the United States Department of Justice or approval by a declaratory judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, whichever occurs first." [Preclearance approval received August 22, 2011.] 2022 Act No. 150, SECTION 45.C, provides as follows: "[SECTION 45.]C. SECTIONS 3 and 6 shall take effect on July 1, 2022." Effect of Amendment 2022 Act No. 150, SECTION 3, in (A), in the first sentence, inserted "by a person who is at least eighteen years of age" following "and witnessed", and, in the oath form, inserted the line for "Printed Name of Witness".