South Carolina S99 has become law, over Governor Mark Sanford’s veto. The bill provides that political parties that polled 5% or more of the vote for president in the last election may have presidential primaries paid for by state government. The old law required all parties to administer and pay for their own presidential primaries, although they had always been entitled to use government buildings rent-free as polling places.
The major parties had been paying for their presidential primaries by charging presidential candidates a very large fee; for example, the Republican Party was charging $25,000. The new law says that the State Board of Elections will set the fee, but the State Board cannot exceed $20,000. The money will go to the government, not the parties. Parties will still set the date of their own presidential primaries. Thanks to Scott West for this news.
Now if the officials of SC would bring that state into the modern century and lower the presidential petition voting requirements and allow write-in votes for presidential candidates.
Do the South Carolina parties have the option of either presidential caucuses or primaries?
Is that the reason that Republican Party v. Faulkner County did not apply?