Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2016
 |
Presidential • U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Candidate ballot access |
 |
|
2018 →
← 2014
|
|
| 2016 South Carolina House Elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Primary | June 14, 2016 |
| General | November 8, 2016 |
| 2016 Election Results | |
| 2014・2012・2010・2008 2006・2004・2002・2000 | |
| 2016 Elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
|
| |
| • State legislative elections in 2016 | |
All 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives were up for election in 2016. Republicans gained two seats after the November 2016 election.[1]
Introduction
Elections for the South Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The primary runoff election was held on June 28, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 30, 2016.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
Heading into the election, the Republican Party held the majority in the South Carolina House of Representatives:
| South Carolina House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 46 | 44 | |
| Republican Party | 77 | 80 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 124 | 124 | |
Retired incumbents
Fourteen incumbent representatives did not run for re-election in 2016. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Gambrell |  Republican |
House District 7 |
| Robert Shannon Riley | Republican |
House District 13 |
| Walton McLeod |  Democratic |
House District 40 |
| Deborah Long | Republican |
House District 45 |
| Grady Brown | Democratic |
House District 50 |
| J. Wayne George | Democratic |
House District 57 |
| Mia McLeod | Democratic |
House District 79 |
| Don Wells | Republican |
House District 81 |
| Kenneth Bingham | Republican |
House District 89 |
| Jenny Horne | Republican |
House District 94 |
| Stephen Goldfinch Jr. | Republican |
House District 108 |
| Harry Limehouse | Republican |
House District 110 |
| Mary Tinkler | Democratic |
House District 114 |
| Kenneth Hodges | Democratic |
House District 121 |
Note: Edward Southard (R-100) resigned from the state House on April 27, 2016. He was replaced by Sylleste Davis (R).
Note: Michael Gambrell (R-7) was elected to the state Senate in a special election on May 17, 2016.
2016 election competitiveness
South Carolina continues to lack in general election competition.
Ballotpedia conducts a yearly study of electoral competitiveness in state legislative elections. Details on how well South Carolina performed in the study are provided in the image below. Click here for the full 2016 Competitiveness Analysis »
- In the South Carolina State Senate, there were 18 Democratic incumbents and 28 Republican incumbents. Six incumbents faced primary challengers in the Democratic Party. There were 14 incumbents who faced primary challenges in the Republican primary.
- In the House, there were 46 Democratic incumbents and 78 Republican incumbents. Eight state representatives faced primary opposition in the Democratic Party. There were 14 incumbents who faced primary challenges in the Republican primary.
- Overall, 18.6 percent of Democratic incumbents and 21.4 percent of GOP incumbents faced primary opposition in all of the state legislatures with elections in 2016.
- The cumulative figure for how many state legislative candidates faced no major party opposition in November in these states was 41.8 percent. This compares to 32.7 percent in 2010, 38.3 percent in 2012, and 43.0 percent in 2014.
- More details on electoral competitiveness in South Carolina can be found below.
List of candidates
General election
| 2016 South Carolina House candidates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District |  Democrat
|
 Republican
|
Other |
| 1 | No candidate | Bill Whitmire: 13,935 (I)  |
|
| 2 | No candidate | Bill Sandifer, III: 13,988 (I) |
|
| 3 | No candidate | Gary Clary: 8,653 (I) |
Travis McCurry: 1,651 (L) |
| 4 | No candidate | Davey Hiott: 14,447 (I) |
Joey Lum: 1,532 (L) |
| 5 | No candidate | Neal Collins: 15,069 (I) |
|
| 6 | No candidate | Brian White: 13,809 (I) |
|
| 7 | No candidate | Jay West: 10,566 |
|
| 8 | Barbara Jo Mullis: 4,969 | Jonathon Hill: 10,751 (I) |
|
| 9 | Mary Geren: 4,747 | Anne Thayer: 10,062 (I) |
|
| 10 | Anna Brown: 3,186 | Joshua Putnam: 13,823 (I) |
|
| 11 | No candidate | Craig Gagnon: 10,472 (I) |
|
| 12 | J. Anne Parks: 7,583 (I) |
Jennings McAbee, Sr.: 5,409 | |
| 13 | Michael Gaskin: 4,753 | John McCravy: 12,498 |
|
| 14 | No candidate | Michael Pitts: 13,631 (I) |
|
| 15 | KJ Kearney: 4,713 | Samuel Rivers Jr.: 5,936 (I) |
|
| 16 | Brandon Greene: 5,388 | Mark Willis: 10,209 (I) |
|
| 17 | No candidate | Mike Burns: 15,681 (I) |
|
| 18 | No candidate | Tommy Stringer: 15,208 (I) |
|
| 19 | No candidate | Dwight Loftis: 10,379 (I) |
|
| 20 | No candidate | Dan Hamilton: 15,314 (I) |
|
| 21 | No candidate | Phyllis Henderson: 17,589 (I) |
|
| 22 | No candidate | Jason Elliott: 13,029 |
|
| 23 | Chandra Dillard: 9,193 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 24 | No candidate | Bruce Bannister: 16,200 (I) |
|
| 25 | Leola Robinson-Simpson: 9,029 (I) |
No candidate | Tony Boyce: 2,299 (Independence) |
| 26 | Jim Thompson: 6,785 | R. Raye Felder: 14,328 (I) |
|
| 27 | No candidate | Garry Smith: 14,295 (I) |
|
| 28 | No candidate | Eric Bedingfield: 14,700 (I) |
|
| 29 | No candidate | Dennis Moss: 12,372 (I) |
|
| 30 | No candidate | Steve Moss: 10,976 (I) |
|
| 31 | Harold Mitchell Jr.: 7,993 (I) |
Michael A. Fowler: 2,362 | |
| 32 | No candidate | Derham Cole Jr.: 13,167 (I) |
|
| 33 | No candidate | Eddie Tallon: 13,551 (I) |
|
| 34 | Luke Quillen: 6,353 | Mike Forrester: 10,713 (I) |
|
| 35 | No candidate | Bill Chumley: 16,786 (I) |
|
| 36 | No candidate | Merita Ann Allison: 11,716 (I) |
|
| 37 | Michael Pratt: 4,509 | Steven Long: 10,386 |
|
| 38 | No candidate | Josiah Magnuson: 13,956 |
|
| 39 | Tillman Gives: 4,231 | Cal Forrest: 11,322 |
|
| 40 | Carlton Kinard: 6,807 | Richard Martin: 9,719 |
|
| 41 | MaryGail Douglas: 14,407 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 42 | Michael Anthony: 8,099 (I) |
Tommy Mann: 6,746 | |
| 43 | No candidate | Francis Delleney Jr.: 11,904 (I) |
|
| 44 | Mandy Powers Norrell: 10,469 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 45 | Tyler Mitchell: 8,714 | Brandon Newton: 16,709 |
|
| 46 | No candidate | Gary Simrill: 14,019 (I) |
|
| 47 | No candidate | Tommy Pope: 13,579 (I) |
Diane Phelps Simmons: 2,659 (Constitution) |
| 48 | No candidate | Ralph W. Norman: 15,939 (I) |
|
| 49 | John King: 11,361 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 50 | Will Wheeler: 11,983 |
No candidate | |
| 51 | J. David Weeks: 12,217 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 52 | Laurie Funderburk: 13,471 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 53 | Victor K. Li: 4,803 | Richie Yow: 7,672 (I) |
|
| 54 | Patricia Henegan: 8,643 (I) |
J.D. Chaplin: 4,472 | |
| 55 | Jackie Hayes: 10,317 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 56 | No candidate | Mike Ryhal: 13,685 (I) |
|
| 57 | Lucas Atkinson: 11,314 |
Ethan Brown: 3,333 | |
| 58 | John Ward: 4,662 | Jeff Johnson: 10,769 (I) |
|
| 59 | Terry Alexander: 11,510 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 60 | No candidate | Phillip Lowe: 10,813 (I) |
|
| 61 | Roger Kirby: 10,086 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 62 | Robert Williams: 12,176 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 63 | No candidate | Jay Jordan: 14,136 (I) |
|
| 64 | Robert L. Ridgeway, III: 13,126 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 65 | No candidate | James Lucas: 11,668 (I) |
|
| 66 | Gilda Cobb-Hunter: 12,626 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 67 | No candidate | George Smith, Jr.: 11,808 (I) |
|
| 68 | No candidate | Heather Ammons Crawford: 13,049 (I) |
|
| 69 | No candidate | Rick Quinn: 15,528 (I) |
|
| 70 | Joseph Neal: 12,513 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 71 | No candidate | Nathan Ballentine: 17,313 (I) |
|
| 72 | James Smith Jr.: 8,491 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 73 | Christopher Hart: 11,222 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 74 | James Rutherford: 12,174 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 75 | Tyler Gregg: 6,175 | Kirkman Finlay III: 9,072 (I) |
|
| 76 | Leon Howard: 13,094 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 77 | Joseph McEachern: 16,994 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 78 | Beth Bernstein: 11,815 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 79 | Ivory Thigpen: 13,366 |
Donald Miles: 4,581 | Victor Kocher: 354 (L) |
| 80 | Jimmy Bales: 12,248 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 81 | No candidate | Bart Blackwell: 16,781 |
|
| 82 | William Clyburn Sr.: 10,964 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 83 | No candidate | Bill Hixon: 14,589 (I) |
|
| 84 | No candidate | Chris Corley: 11,884 (I) |
|
| 85 | No candidate | Chip Huggins: 17,515 (I) |
|
| 86 | No candidate | William Taylor: 12,312 (I) |
|
| 87 | No candidate | Todd Atwater: 18,884 (I) |
|
| 88 | No candidate | McLain Toole: 13,208 (I) |
|
| 89 | Rosemounda Peggy Butler: 4,824 | Micah Caskey: 8,956 |
Robert Lampley: 586 (Constitution) |
| 90 | Justin Bamberg: 7,945 (I) |
Dan Lawrence: 6,624 | |
| 91 | Lonnie Hosey: 11,326 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 92 | No candidate | Joseph Daning: 11,443 (I) |
|
| 93 | Russell L. Ott: 12,559 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 94 | Damian Daly: 4,779 | Katie Arrington: 11,147 |
|
| 95 | Jerry Govan Jr.: 12,403 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 96 | Robert Vanlue: 3,024 | Lawrence Kit Spires: 9,494 (I) |
|
| 97 | Patsy Knight: 11,503 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 98 | No candidate | Chris Murphy: 12,235 (I) |
|
| 99 | No candidate | James Merrill: 15,967 (I) |
|
| 100 | Tonia Aiken-Taylor: 6,294 | Sylleste Davis: 12,714 (I) |
|
| 101 | Cezar McKnight: 11,953 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 102 | Joseph Jefferson Jr.: 10,695 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 103 | Carl Anderson: 11,822 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 104 | No candidate | Greg Duckworth: 16,759 (I) |
|
| 105 | No candidate | Kevin J. Hardee: 11,410 (I) |
|
| 106 | No candidate | Russell Fry: 17,841 (I) |
|
| 107 | No candidate | Alan Clemmons: 13,048 (I) |
|
| 108 | No candidate | Lee Hewitt: 17,046 |
|
| 109 | David Mack: 11,126 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 110 | Alice Wakefield: 6,416 | William S. Cogswell Jr.: 11,961 |
|
| 111 | Wendell Gilliard: 11,978 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 112 | No candidate | Mike Sottile: 17,868 (I) |
|
| 113 | Jackson Whipper: 10,617 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 114 | Bob Aubin: 7,487 | Lin Bennett: 11,576 |
|
| 115 | No candidate | Peter McCoy: 14,957 (I) |
|
| 116 | Robert Brown: 9,955 (I) |
Carroll O'Neal: 8,573 | |
| 117 | No candidate | Bill Crosby: 8,727 (I) |
|
| 118 | No candidate | Bill Herbkersman: 13,291 (I) |
Alfred A. North: 1,933 (American) |
| 119 | Leonidas Stavrinakis: 12,146 (I) |
Lee Edwards: 7,699 | |
| 120 | No candidate | Weston Newton: 14,022 (I) |
|
| 121 | Michael Rivers: 9,092 |
James Broderick: 5,617 | |
| 122 | William Bowers: 12,127 (I) |
No candidate | |
| 123 | No candidate | Jeff Bradley: 14,425 (I) |
|
| 124 | Bobby Green: 5,399 | Shannon Erickson: 10,656 (I) |
|
| Notes | • An (I) denotes an incumbent. | ||
| • Candidate lists can change frequently throughout an election season. Ballotpedia staff update this list monthly. To suggest changes, click here to email our State Legislature Project. | |||
Primary election
Margins of victory
The average margin of victory for contested races in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2016 was higher than the national average. Out of 124 races in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2016, 37 were contested, meaning at least two candidates competed for that seat in the general election. The average margin of victory across these races was 36.9 percent. Across contested single-winner state legislative elections in 2016, the average margin of victory was 29.01 percent.[4]
| Republican candidates in the South Carolina House of Representatives saw larger margins of victory than Democratic candidates in 2016. Republicans won 80 races. In the 26 races where a winning Republican faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 39.6 percent. Democrats won 44 races in 2016. In the 11 races where a winning Democrat faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 30.6 percent. |
| More Democratic candidates than Republican candidates saw margins of victory that were less than 10 percentage points. Three of the 37 contested races in 2016—8.1 percent—saw margins of victory that were 10 percent or less. Democrats won all three races with margins of victory of 10 percent or less. |
South Carolina House of Representatives: 2016 Margins of Victory Less than 10 Percent District Winning Party Margin of Victory District 42 D 9.1 percent District 90 D 9.1 percent District 116 D 7.5 percent
| The average margin of victory for incumbents in the South Carolina House of Representatives who ran for re-election and won in 2016 was higher than the national average. One hundred six incumbents who ran for re-election in 2016 won. The average margin of victory for the 25 winning South Carolina House of Representatives incumbents who faced a challenger in 2016 was 37.6 percent. The average margin of victory for all winning incumbents in contested single-winner state legislative elections in 2016 was 31.8 percent. |
| Republican incumbents in the South Carolina House of Representatives saw larger margins of victory than Democratic incumbents. 66 Republican incumbents won re-election. In the 17 races where a winning Republican incumbent faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 42.9 percent. 40 Democratic incumbents won re-election. In the eight races where a winning Democratic incumbent faced a challenger, the average margin of victory was 26.3 percent. |
South Carolina House of Representatives: 2016 Margin of Victory Analysis Party Elections won Average margin of victory[5] Races with incumbent victories Average margin of victory for incumbents[5] Unopposed incumbents Unopposed races Percent unopposed Democratic 44 30.6 percent 40 26.3 percent 32 33 75.0 percent Republican 80 39.6 percent 66 42.9 percent 49 54 67.5 percent Total 124 36.9 percent 106 37.6 percent 81 87 70.2 percent
Click [show] on the tables below to see the margin of victory in South Carolina House of Representatives districts in 2016.
| South Carolina House of Representatives: 2016 Margin of Victory by District | ||
|---|---|---|
| District | Winning Party | Margin of Victory |
| District 1 | R | Unopposed |
| District 2 | R | Unopposed |
| District 3 | R | 68.0 percent |
| District 4 | R | 80.8 percent |
| District 5 | R | Unopposed |
| District 6 | R | Unopposed |
| District 7 | R | Unopposed |
| District 8 | R | 36.8 percent |
| District 9 | R | 35.9 percent |
| District 10 | R | 62.5 percent |
| District 11 | R | Unopposed |
| District 12 | D | 16.7 percent |
| District 13 | R | 44.9 percent |
| District 14 | R | Unopposed |
| District 15 | R | 11.5 percent |
| District 16 | R | 30.9 percent |
| District 17 | R | Unopposed |
| District 18 | R | Unopposed |
| District 19 | R | Unopposed |
| District 20 | R | Unopposed |
| District 21 | R | Unopposed |
| District 22 | R | Unopposed |
| District 23 | D | Unopposed |
| District 24 | R | Unopposed |
| District 25 | D | 59.4 percent |
| District 26 | R | 35.7 percent |
| District 27 | R | Unopposed |
| District 28 | R | Unopposed |
| District 29 | R | Unopposed |
| District 30 | R | Unopposed |
| District 31 | D | 54.4 percent |
| District 32 | R | Unopposed |
| District 33 | R | Unopposed |
| District 34 | R | 25.6 percent |
| District 35 | R | Unopposed |
| District 36 | R | Unopposed |
| District 37 | R | 39.5 percent |
| District 38 | R | Unopposed |
| District 39 | R | 45.6 percent |
| District 40 | R | 17.6 percent |
| District 41 | D | Unopposed |
| District 42 | D | 9.1 percent |
| District 43 | R | Unopposed |
| District 44 | D | Unopposed |
| District 45 | R | 31.5 percent |
| District 46 | R | Unopposed |
| District 47 | R | 67.3 percent |
| District 48 | R | Unopposed |
| District 49 | D | Unopposed |
| District 50 | D | Unopposed |
| District 51 | D | Unopposed |
| District 52 | D | Unopposed |
| District 53 | R | 23.0 percent |
| District 54 | D | 31.8 percent |
| District 55 | D | Unopposed |
| District 56 | R | Unopposed |
| District 57 | D | 54.5 percent |
| District 58 | R | 39.6 percent |
| District 59 | D | Unopposed |
| District 60 | R | Unopposed |
| District 61 | D | Unopposed |
| District 62 | D | Unopposed |
| District 63 | R | Unopposed |
| District 64 | D | Unopposed |
| District 65 | R | Unopposed |
| District 66 | D | Unopposed |
| District 67 | R | Unopposed |
| District 68 | R | Unopposed |
| District 69 | R | Unopposed |
| District 70 | D | Unopposed |
| District 71 | R | Unopposed |
| District 72 | D | Unopposed |
| District 73 | D | Unopposed |
| District 74 | D | Unopposed |
| District 75 | R | 19.0 percent |
| District 76 | D | Unopposed |
| District 77 | D | Unopposed |
| District 78 | D | Unopposed |
| District 79 | D | 48.0 percent |
| District 80 | D | Unopposed |
| District 81 | R | Unopposed |
| District 82 | D | Unopposed |
| District 83 | R | Unopposed |
| District 84 | R | Unopposed |
| District 85 | R | Unopposed |
| District 86 | R | Unopposed |
| District 87 | R | Unopposed |
| District 88 | R | Unopposed |
| District 89 | R | 28.8 percent |
| District 90 | D | 9.1 percent |
| District 91 | D | Unopposed |
| District 92 | R | Unopposed |
| District 93 | D | Unopposed |
| District 94 | R | 40.0 percent |
| District 95 | D | Unopposed |
| District 96 | R | 51.7 percent |
| District 97 | D | Unopposed |
| District 98 | R | Unopposed |
| District 99 | R | Unopposed |
| District 100 | R | 33.8 percent |
| District 101 | D | Unopposed |
| District 102 | D | Unopposed |
| District 103 | D | Unopposed |
| District 104 | R | Unopposed |
| District 105 | R | Unopposed |
| District 106 | R | Unopposed |
| District 107 | R | Unopposed |
| District 108 | R | Unopposed |
| District 109 | D | Unopposed |
| District 110 | R | 30.2 percent |
| District 111 | D | Unopposed |
| District 112 | R | Unopposed |
| District 113 | D | Unopposed |
| District 114 | R | 21.5 percent |
| District 115 | R | Unopposed |
| District 116 | D | 7.5 percent |
| District 117 | R | Unopposed |
| District 118 | R | 74.6 percent |
| District 119 | D | 22.4 percent |
| District 120 | R | Unopposed |
| District 121 | D | 23.6 percent |
| District 122 | D | Unopposed |
| District 123 | R | Unopposed |
| District 124 | R | 32.7 percent |
Important dates and deadlines
- See also: South Carolina elections, 2016
The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in South Carolina in 2016.
| Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
| March 16, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing period opens for primary candidates | |
| March 30, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing period closes for primary candidates | |
| April 10, 2016 | Campaign finance | Quarterly campaign finance report due | |
| June 14, 2016 | Election date | Primary election | |
| July 10, 2016 | Campaign finance | Quarterly campaign finance report due | |
| July 15, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing deadline for independent candidates | |
| October 10, 2016 | Campaign finance | Quarterly campaign finance report due | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
| Sources: South Carolina Election Commission, "2016 Election Calendar," accessed September 21, 2015 South Carolina State Ethics Commission, "2016 Calendar," accessed January 11, 2016 | |||
Competitiveness
Candidates unopposed by a major party
In 92 (74%) of the 124 seats up for election in 2016, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of 34 Democrats and 58 Republicans were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.
Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 32 (26%) of the 124 seats up for election.
Primary challenges
Twenty-one incumbents faced primary competition on June 14. Fourteen seats were open, leaving 89 incumbents that advanced past the primary without opposition. The following incumbents were defeated in the primary:
- District 22: Incumbent Wendy Nanney was defeated by Jason Elliott in the Republican primary.
- District 37: Incumbent Donna Hicks was defeated by Steven Long in the Republican primary.
- District 38: Incumbent Doug Brannon was defeated by Josiah Magnuson in the Republican primary.
- District 39: Incumbent Ralph Shealy Kennedy was defeated by Cal Forrest in the Republican primary.
Retired incumbents
Fourteen incumbent representatives did not run for re-election, while 110 ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, eight Republicans and six Democrats, can be found above.
Results from 2014
There were 6,057 seats in 87 chambers with elections in 2014. All three aspects of Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Index—the number of open seats, incumbents facing primary opposition, and general elections between partisan candidates—showed poor results compared to the prior election cycle. States with elections in 2014 held fewer general elections between partisan candidates. Additionally, fewer incumbents faced primary opposition and more incumbents ran for re-election than in recent years.
Since 2010, when the Competitiveness Index was established, there had not been an even-year election cycle to do statistically worse in any of the three categories. See the following chart for a breakdown of those scores between each year.
| Overall Comparison between years | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | |
| Competitiveness Index | 36.2 | 35.8 | 31.4 |
| % Open Seats | 18.6% | 21.2% | 17.0% |
| % Inc that did face primary | 22.7% | 24.6% | 20.1% |
| % Candidates that did face major party opp | 67.3% | 61.7% | 57.0% |
The following table details South Carolina's rates for open seats, incumbents that faced primary challenges, and major party competition in the 2014 general election.
| South Carolina Legislature 2014 Competitiveness | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Open Seats | % Inc that did face primary | % Candidates that did face major party opp | Competitiveness Index | Overall rank |
| 7.3% | 17.4% | 23.4% | 16.0 | 46 |
Historical context
Uncontested elections: In 2014, 32.8 percent of Americans lived in states with an uncontested state senate election. Similarly, 40.4 percent of Americans lived in states with uncontested house elections. Primary elections were uncontested even more frequently, with 61 percent of people living in states with no contested primaries. Uncontested elections often occur in locations that are so politically one-sided that the result of an election would be a foregone conclusion regardless of whether it was contested or not.
Open seats: In most cases, an incumbent will run for re-election, which decreases the number of open seats available. In 2014, 83 percent of the 6,057 seats up for election saw the incumbent running for re-election. The states that impose term limits on their legislatures typically see a higher percentage of open seats in a given year because a portion of incumbents in each election are forced to leave office. Overall, the number of open seats decreased from 2012 to 2014, dropping from 21.2 percent in 2012 to 17.0 percent in 2014.
Incumbent win rates: Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of elections between 1972 and 2014 documented the high propensity for incumbents to win re-election in state legislative elections. In fact, since 1972, the win rate for incumbents had not dropped below 90 percent—with the exception of 1974, when 88 percent of incumbents were re-elected to their seats. Perhaps most importantly, the win rate for incumbents generally increased over time. In 2014, 96.5 percent of incumbents were able to retain their seats. Common convention holds that incumbents are able to leverage their office to maintain their seat. However, the high incumbent win rate may actually be a result of incumbents being more likely to hold seats in districts that are considered safe for their party.
Marginal primaries: Often, competitiveness is measured by examining the rate of elections that have been won by amounts that are considered marginal (5 percent or less). During the 2014 election, 90.1 percent of primary and general election races were won by margins higher than 5 percent. Interestingly, it is usually the case that only one of the two races—primary or general—will be competitive at a time. This means that if a district's general election is competitive, typically one or more of the district's primaries were won by more than 5 percent. The reverse is also true: If a district sees a competitive primary, it is unlikely that the general election for that district will be won by less than 5 percent. Primaries often see very low voter turnout in comparison to general elections. In 2014, there were only 27 million voters for state legislative primaries, but approximately 107 million voters for the state legislative general elections.
Campaign contributions
The following chart shows how many candidates ran for State House in South Carolina in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in State House races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests.[6]
| South Carolina House of Representatives Donations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Candidates | Amount |
| 2014 | 200 | $5,478,216 |
| 2012 | 198 | $6,367,105 |
| 2010 | 231 | $6,611,094 |
| 2008 | 231 | $8,295,053 |
| 2006 | 213 | $7,626,199 |
State comparison
The map below shows the average contributions to 2014 candidates for state houses. The average contributions raised by state house candidates in 2014 was $59,983. South Carolina, at $27,391 per candidate, is ranked 30 of 45 for state house chambers with the highest average contributions. Hover your mouse over a state to see the average campaign contributions for that state’s house candidates in 2014.[6][7]
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the South Carolina House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[8]
- A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
- 21 years old at the filing deadline time
- A resident of the district at the filing deadline time
See also
- South Carolina House of Representatives
- South Carolina State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2016
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Republicans also reclaimed a single seat left vacant prior to the election.
- ↑ Under Ballotpedia's competitiveness criteria, districts that have a margin of victory of less than 5 percent are considered highly competitive. Districts that have a margin of victory from 5 to 10 percent are considered mildly competitive.
- ↑ Brantley withdrew after the primary. His position in the runoff went to Williams.
- ↑ This calculation excludes chambers that had elections where two or more members were elected in a race. These chambers are the Arizona House, the New Hampshire House, the North Dakota House, the South Dakota House, the Vermont House, the Vermont Senate, and the West Virginia House.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Excludes unopposed elections
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 followthemoney.org, "Contributions to candidates and committees in elections in South Carolina," accessed July 28, 2015
- ↑ This map relies on data collected in July 2015.
- ↑ State of South Carolina, "Qualifications for Office," accessed March 31, 2014
