Lawmakers have passed a bill to allow voters to obtain an absentee ballot for the June primary and runoffs.

Last month, 2 lawsuits were filed in state and federal courts asking judges to require South Carolina to relax rules on absentee voting for the June 9 statewide primary.

Absentee voters currently must fall under certain requirements such as being disabled, unable to get to the polls because of work, out of state, or over age 65. Ballots also must be signed by a witness.

In a March letter to state lawmakers and Gov. Henry McMaster, South Carolina Election Commission Executive Director Marci Andino backed no-excuse absentee voting and expressed safety concerns about in-person voting, noting that many poll managers fall into highrisk categories for covid-19.

The Senate passed the bill 37-0, while the House passed it 108-0.

Get your absentee ballot at https://www.scvotes.org/absentee-voting .