I’m Supposed to Vote for Something Other than President?

You probably didn’t get the memo, but there is actually more on this year’s South Carolina election ballot than President. There’s more than congressional elections. There’s more than the Senate’s 46 seats and the House’s 124 seats. There’s even more than local races like county or city council.

We have some weighty constitutional amendments to consider, too.

They aren’t sexy and don’t get media attention like top-tier national campaigns, but they can impact a number of South Carolinians.

We won’t editorialize on these, but we wanted to make sure you knew they were out there. Do some research, and make up your own mind.

Also make sure you know if there are any local questions on ballots in your area. There are a number of them floating around the state, and you need to be prepared to cast your vote on those special questions when you go to the polls on Tuesday, November 4.

2008 Constitutional Amendment Questions

Amendment 1

Must Section 33, Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to delete the provision that no unmarried woman shall legally consent to sexual intercourse who shall not have attained the age of fourteen years?

Yes []

No []

Explanation of Above:

This amendment deletes the section of the Constitution which says an unmarried woman must be fourteen years old or older in order to consent to sexual intercourse. Deleting this section would allow the state legislature to set the age of consent. Currently, the state legislature has the age of consent set at sixteen for most cases.

A “yes” vote would delete the section from the Constitution and let the state legislature set the age of consent.

A “no” vote would leave the section of the Constitution in place.

Amendment 2

Must Section 16, Article X of the Constitution of this State relating to benefits and funding of public employee pension plans in this State and the investments allowed for funds of the various state-operated retirement systems be amended so as to provide that the funds of any trust fund established by law for the funding of post-employment benefits for state employees and public school teachers may be invested and reinvested in equity securities subject to the same limitations on such investments applicable for the funds of the various state-operated retirement systems?

Yes []

No []

Explanation of Above:

“Post-employment benefits” are benefits, mainly health insurance, provided to eligible state government and school district retirees.

To comply with a change in accounting standards, the state has created trust funds to pay for these post-employment benefits. This amendment relates to how the money in these trust funds may be invested.

A “yes” vote would give the state government the option to invest these funds in equity securities (stocks).

A “no” vote would mean that state government is not allowed to invest these funds in any kind of equity securities (stocks).

Amendment 3

Must Section 16, Article X of the Constitution of this State relating to benefits and funding of public employee pension plans in this State and the investments allowed for funds of the various state-operated retirement systems be amended so as to provide that the funds of any political subdivision of this State that have been set aside for the funding of post-employment benefits for the political subdivision’s employees, including those invested in independent trusts established for that purpose, may be invested or reinvested in equity securities of the type permitted for investment by the various state operated retirement systems, as provided for by the General Assembly?

Yes []

No []

Explanation of Above:

This amendment is the same as Amendment 2 except it applies to local governments’ post-employment benefits (instead of the state government’s post-employment benefits).

– The OBB