Each municipality in this State shall provide by ordinance for the election of its council. Councils shall select any one of the following methods of election of council:

(1) Members of the council elected from the municipality at large.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 5-15-20

  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

(2) One member elected from each ward of the municipality by the qualified electors of the ward. Candidates seeking office from a particular ward shall be residents of the ward during their entire terms of office.

(3) Some members elected from wards as provided for in (2) and the remainder elected from the municipality at large.

(4) Members required to be residents of particular wards but be elected from the municipality at large.

(5) Some members may be required to be residents of particular wards and others may be residents of the municipality without regard to a particular ward and all members shall be elected from the municipality at large.

Regardless of the form adopted by the municipality, the mayor shall be elected at large.

Mayors and councilmen shall be qualified electors of the municipality and, if they are elected subject to residential or ward requirements as provided in this section, they shall be qualified electors of the ward prescribed for their election qualification.