The South Carolina legislature adjourned for the year on May 21. Although 60 bills to alter election laws had been introduced, not a single one passed. However, any bill introduced this year could conceivably pass in 2010, since South Carolina has two-year legislative sessions.

The only election law bills of interest that even passed one House were H3067, which would have banned fusion; and H3231, which would have provided that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor run as a team in the general election.

Other interesting bills that didn’t pass in even one house were SB 365, to elect one presidential elector from each U.S. House district; HB 3140, to establish registration by party; two bills to ban primary voters from signing an independent candidate’s petition, H3746 and S590; and H3389, to bar presidential candidates from the ballot unless they submit proof of eligibility.

On May 21, the Pew Research Center released this public opinion poll on political values. It is an extensive survey, in twelve sections, and used a sample of 3,013 respondents. Among many other findings, the poll shows that 39% of U.S. residents identify themselves as independents, 33% as Democrats, 22% as Republicans, and 6% no opinion or “other”.

Men are more likely to describe themselves as independents than women are. Men self-identify at 42% independent, 28% Democratic, 24% Republican. Women self-identify as 41% Democratic, 31% independent, 22% Republican.

When the self-described independents are asked if they lean toward either of the major parties, and the leaners are then grouped with a major party, the results are: Democrats 50%, Republicans 34%, independent independents 16%. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link.

World Net Daily and Joseph Farah have launched a fundraising drive to pay for billboards around the U.S. that will say, “Where’s the Birth Certificate” and include a link to the web page. The WND announcement of May 21 has already received mention in newspapers. See this story from the San Francisco Examiner.