South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 South Carolina House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | June 9, 2020 |
| Primary runoff | June 23, 2020 |
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Republicans gained seats in the 2020 elections for South Carolina House of Representatives, preserving their majority. All 124 seats in the chamber were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Republicans held 78 seats, Democrats held 45, and one was vacant. Republicans gained a net two seats, meaning Republicans expanded their majority to 81-43.
The South Carolina House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. All 124 House seats were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
A special election was called for District 107 of South Carolina House of Representatives. Click here for more on the special elections.
South Carolina's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In South Carolina, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
South Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in and in-person voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Any eligible voter could request an absentee ballot for the general election. Return postage for all mailed absentee ballots was prepaid.
- In-person voting: In-person absentee voting was authorized to begin on October 5, 2020.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| South Carolina State House | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 45 | 43 | |
| Republican Party | 78 | 81 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 124 | 124 | |
Candidates
General election
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection
Primary runoff election
South Carolina State House primary runoff 2020 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 3 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 35 |
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| District 88 |
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| District 99 |
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| District 109 |
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| District 115 |
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Primary election
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the South Carolina Election Commission. (i) denotes an incumbent.[1]
Note: Primaries were canceled if fewer than two candidates filed to run per party. Candidates in canceled races automatically advanced to the general election.
South Carolina State House primary 2020 |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 2 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 3 |
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| District 4 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 5 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 6 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 7 |
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| District 8 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 9 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 10 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 11 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
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| District 14 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 15 |
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| District 16 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 17 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 24 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 25 |
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| District 26 |
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| District 27 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 28 |
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| District 29 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 31 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 32 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 33 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 34 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 35 |
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| District 36 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 37 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 38 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 39 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 40 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 41 |
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| District 42 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 43 |
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| District 44 |
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| District 45 |
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| District 46 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 47 |
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| District 48 |
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| District 49 |
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| District 50 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 51 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 52 |
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Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 53 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 54 |
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| District 55 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 56 |
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| District 57 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 58 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 59 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 60 |
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| District 61 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 62 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 63 |
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| District 64 |
Jack Furse Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 65 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 66 |
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| District 67 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 68 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 69 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 70 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 71 |
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| District 72 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 73 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 74 |
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| District 75 |
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| District 76 |
Did not make the ballot: |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 77 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 78 |
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| District 79 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 80 |
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| District 81 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 82 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 83 |
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| District 84 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 85 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 86 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 87 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 88 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Brian Duncan |
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| District 89 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 90 |
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| District 91 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 92 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 93 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 94 |
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| District 95 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 96 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 97 |
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| District 98 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 99 |
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| District 100 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 101 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 102 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 103 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 104 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 105 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 106 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 107 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 108 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 109 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 110 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 111 |
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| District 112 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 113 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 114 |
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| District 115 |
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| District 116 |
Charles Glover Sr. |
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| District 117 |
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| District 118 |
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| District 119 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 120 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 121 |
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| District 122 |
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| District 123 |
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| District 124 |
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Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
Two incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Mandy Powers Norrell |  Democratic |
House District 44 |
| Laurie Funderburk | Democratic |
House District 52 |
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
Two incumbents lost in the June 9 primaries, the lowest such number since 2014. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Bales | Democratic |
House District 80 |
| Lawrence Kit Spires |  Republican |
House District 96 |
Retiring incumbents
There were 12 open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[2] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Clary | Republican |
House District 3 |
| Eddie Tallon | Republican |
House District 33 |
| Mike Forrester | Republican |
House District 34 |
| Robert L. Ridgeway III | Democratic |
House District 64 |
| McLain Toole | Republican |
House District 88 |
| Con Chellis | Republican |
House District 94 |
| Nancy Mace | Republican |
House District 99 |
| Alan Clemmons | Republican |
House District 107 |
| David Mack | Democratic |
House District 109 |
| Mike Sottile | Republican |
House District 112 |
| Peter McCoy[3] | Republican |
House District 115 |
| Robert Brown | Democratic |
House District 116 |
The 12 seats left open in 2020 represented an increase from the eight open in 2018. Overall, the 2020 numbers were roughly average relative to the five preceding election cycles. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in South Carolina House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 124 | 12 (10%) | 112 (90%) |
| 2018 | 124 | 8 (6%) | 116 (94%) |
| 2016 | 124 | 14 (11%) | 110 (89%) |
| 2014 | 124 | 11 (9%) | 113 (91%) |
| 2012 | 124 | 15 (12%) | 109 (88%) |
| 2010 | 124 | 11 (9%) | 113 (91%) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 7, Chapter 11 of the South Carolina Code
In South Carolina, a candidate can run as the nominee of a political party, as an independent, or as a write-in.
For partisan candidates
Non-presidential candidates seeking a party nomination for a general or special election must file the State Election Commission’s Statement of Intention of Candidacy/Party Pledge Form (SICPP) and pay the required fee—or submit a fee-petition signed by registered voters equal to the fee—between noon on March 16 and noon on March 30 (with the deadline extended to the next business day if the 30th falls on a weekend or holiday). Federal, statewide, and multi-county district candidates file with the State Election Commission; those running for State Senate, House, or county offices file with their home-county election commission. A candidate who files as a Democrat or Republican must pay a filing fee.[4]
Upon receipt, the filing officer stamps each form and fee receipt with the date and time received, retains the original, provides a copy to the candidate, and forwards a copy to the appropriate party executive committee. No name may appear on any primary ballot, convention slate, or general/special election ballot until certification by that committee, and any minor error or omission in filings must be construed in the candidate’s favor if statutory qualifications are otherwise met.
If, after the close of filing, two or fewer candidates remain for an office and one withdraws or dies, the party committee—or, for legislative seats, the state committee—may at its discretion reopen nominations. Both the county party chair and the state executive committee chair may designate observers to monitor filings. These rules do not apply to nonpartisan school-trustee elections governed by local law, which prevail in the event of any conflict.[5][4]
For independent candidates
An independent candidate must be nominated by petition. The petition must contain signatures equaling at least 5 percent of the qualified registered electors in the geographical area of the office being sought. No petition candidate is required to collect more than 10,000 signatures for any office.[6][7]
Petition candidates for multi-county offices must file their petitions with the South Carolina State Election Commission. All petition candidates for the state legislature also file with the State Election Commission. A petition candidate must also file a statement of economic interests with the State Ethics Commission. Signature requirements are detailed in the table below.[7]
| Petition signature requirements for independent candidates in South Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Number of signatures needed | |
| Governor and other statewide offices | 5 percent of the qualified registered voters in the state | |
| State legislators | 5 percent of the qualified registered voters in the district or area to be represented | |
No candidates is required to collect more than 10,000 signatures.[6]
For write-in candidates
Generally, there are no filing forms or fees required to run as a write-in candidate. However, a write-in candidate should notify the appropriate election commission in writing that he or she is conducting a write-in campaign. A candidate who was defeated in a political party's primary may not actively campaign as a write-in candidate for the ensuing election.[7][8]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for South Carolina House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| South Carolina House of Representatives | Qualified party | N/A | $208.00 | 3/30/2020 | Source |
| South Carolina House of Representatives | Unaffiliated | 5% of active, registered voters in the district | N/A | 8/17/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the South Carolina House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[9]
- 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
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[10] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $10,400/year | $231/day |
When sworn in
South Carolina legislators assume office the Monday after the election.[11]
South Carolina political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
South Carolina Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Twenty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in South Carolina
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, South Carolina, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 40.7% | 855,373 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
54.9% | 1,155,389 | 9 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 2.3% | 49,204 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 0.6% | 13,034 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.3% | 5,765 | 0 | |
| Independence | Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson | 1% | 21,016 | 0 | |
| American | Peter Skewes/Michael Lacy | 0.2% | 3,246 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 2,103,027 | 9 | |||
| Election results via: South Carolina Election Commission | |||||
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. South Carolina utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary. Voters must take an oath affirming that they have not voted in another party's primary.[12][13]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In South Carolina, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[14]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in South Carolina, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the county and precinct where he or she is registering, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. People who have been declared mentally incompetent by court order, are imprisoned, or are still serving a sentence for a felony conviction are ineligible to register to vote.[15] The deadline for registration is 30 days before the election. Prospective voters may register using one of the following methods:
- Online,
- In person at the county board of elections or one of the following locations:
- Armed Forces Recruiting Stations
- Commission for the Blind
- Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services
- Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
- Department of Health and Environmental Control
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Mental Health
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Department of Social Services
- Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities
- Vocational Rehabilitation Department
- Returning a voter registration form by email, fax, or mail to the county board of voter registration. Note that mailed applications must be postmarked by at least 30 days before the election.[15]
Automatic registration
South Carolina does not practice automatic voter registration.[12]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
South Carolina has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
South Carolina does not allow same-day voter registration.[12]
Residency requirements
Prospective voters must be residents of the county and precinct in which they are registering to vote.[15]
Verification of citizenship
South Carolina does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.[15] An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[16] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The South Carolina Election Commission allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting the MyscVOTES website.
Voter ID requirements
South Carolina requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[14][17]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- SC Driver’s License
- SC Department of Motor Vehicles ID Card
- includes SC Concealed Weapons Permit
- SC Voter Registration Card with Photo
- U.S. Passport
- Federal Military ID
- includes all Department of Defense Photo IDs and the Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Card
Voters can obtain a free photo ID from a local DMV office or a county elections office.[18]
Early voting
South Carolina permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
According to the South Carolina Election Commission's website, only the following types of voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail:[19]
| “ |
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To vote absentee, voters must first request an application for the absentee ballot. Application requests can be made in person, by phone, or by mail. The absentee ballot application must then be completed and returned to the voter's county voter registration office by 5:00 p.m. at least 11 days before Election Day. Once completed, the ballot must be received by the county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.[19] According to the South Carolina Election Commission's website, only the following types of voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail:[19]
| “ |
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” |
To vote absentee, voters must first request an application for the absentee ballot. Application requests can be made in person, by phone, or by mail. The absentee ballot application must then be completed and returned to the voter's county voter registration office by 5:00 p.m. at least 11 days before Election Day. Once completed, the ballot must be received by the county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.[19]
See also
- South Carolina House of Representatives
- South Carolina State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2020
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking: 11/3/2020 Statewide General Election," accessed March 31, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Rep. McCoy was not an incumbent at the time of the primary for District 115. He previously resigned, leaving the seat vacant.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 South Carolina Code, "Title 7-11-15(a)," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Filing instructions for partisan candidates," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 South Carolina Code, "Title 7-11-70," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 South Carolina State Election Commission, "Candidates," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina Code, "Title 7-11-210," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina Secretary of State, "Qualifications for office," accessed December 18, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ South Carolina Constitution, "Article III, Section 10," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ncsl" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ South Carolina Legislature,"South Carolina Code of Laws Unannotated § 7-9-10," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 South Carolina Election Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election," accessed August 20, 2024
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 South Carolina Election Commission, “Register to Vote,” accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Justia, "SC Code § 7-13-710 (2022)," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ South Carolina Elections Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election, accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 South Carolina State Election Commission, "Absentee Voting," accessed May 2, 2023
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
