South Carolina

 

A political party is defined as "a political party, organization, or association certified by the state election commission."

General requirements
Political parties desiring to nominate candidates for offices to be voted on in a general or special election must, before doing so, petition the state election commission for certification no later than six months before the election. A petition for the certification of a new political party must be signed by 10,000 or more registered electors residing in South Carolina. The petition must provide the name of the party, which must be substantially different from the name of any other party previously certified.

In order for any political party to retain certification status in the state, it must perform the following organizational tasks as required by law:

1. New political parties must organize at the precinct level by holding county conventions before March 31 in each general election year during a month determined by the state committee.
2. New political parties must organize and hold a state convention before May 15 in every general election year on a day and at a time fixed by the state committee and announced publicly at least 10 days before the meeting.
3. New political parties must nominate candidates for national, state, multi-county district, countywide, or less than countywide office by either convention or party primary.
4. New political parties must certify their candidates in at least one of two consecutive general elections held in November in an even-numbered year or in any other election which might be held within the period of time intervening between the two general elections.

As of May 2017, South Carolina officially recognized 10 political parties: the American, Constitution, Democratic, Green, Independence, Labor, Libertarian, Republican, United Citizens, and Working Families parties.

American Party of South Carolina  Link  Party platform
Constitution Party of South Carolina  Link
Democratic Party of South Carolina  Link  Party by-laws
Green Party of South Carolina  Link  Platform
Independence Party of South Carolina  Link
Labor Party of South Carolina  Link
Libertarian Party of South Carolina  Link  Party by-laws
Republican Party of South Carolina  Link  Party platform
United Citizens Party of South Carolina  Link
Working Families of South Carolina  Link  Platform

See statutes: Title 7, Chapter 9, Title 7, Chapter 11 of the South Carolina Code of Laws