South Carolina elections, 2014
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2015 →
← 2013
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The state of South Carolina held elections in 2014. Below are the dates of note:
| 2014 elections and events in South Carolina | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filing deadline for party candidates | March 30, 2014 | |||
| Voter registration deadline for primary election | May 10, 2014 | |||
| Primary election date | June 10, 2014 | |||
| U.S. Senate special election (primary) | June 10, 2014 | |||
| Party-specific statewide ballot measures | June 10, 2014 | |||
| School board election (1) | June 10, 2014 | |||
| Filing deadline for independent candidates for general election | July 15, 2014 | |||
| Voter registration deadline for general election | October 4, 2014 | |||
| General election date | November 4, 2014 | |||
| U.S. Senate special election (general) | November 4, 2014 | |||
| School board elections (22) | November 4, 2014 | |||
Below are the types of elections that were scheduled in South Carolina in 2014:
2014 elections
Races to watch in South Carolina
State Executive Officials
The South Carolina gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014.[1]
Incumbent Nikki Haley (R) ran successfully for re-election in 2014.[2] Republican State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, Jr. considered challenging Haley for the party's nomination but announced on January 25, 2013 that he would seek re-election to his current post as treasurer instead.[1] Without Loftis, the list of potential Republican primary candidates was still long and included two fellow officials from the executive branch: Lieutenant Governor Glenn McConnell and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Haley ultimately did not face a primary challenge and maintained a lead over Democratic candidate state Sen. Vincent Sheheen in early polling.
Haley won re-election to a four-year term.[1]
South Carolina State Legislature
Elections for all 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 30, 2014. Heading into the election, the Republican Party controlled the chamber. The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6, 2012, general election.
| 2012 Margin of Victory, South Carolina House of Representatives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Margin of Victory | Total Votes | Top Opponent |
| District 56 | 1.1% | 9,577 | Dennis DiSabato, Jr. | |
| District 75 | 2.2% | 14,142 | Joe McCulloch | |
| District 39 | 2.2% | 13,265 | Phil Perry | |
| District 53 | 3.6% | 12,371 | Richie Yow | |
| District 8 | 5.8% | 12,987 | Ted W. Luckadoo | |
| District 26 | 5.9% | 11,211 | Jeremy C. Walters | |
| District 3 | 7% | 10,112 | Ed J. Harris | |
| District 90 | 10.5% | 15,029 | Dan Lawrence | |
| District 97 | 10.9% | 15,457 | Ed Carter | |
| District 78 | 12.7% | 14,282 | Joan Brady | |
Elections by type
U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate elections in South Carolina
There were both regular elections and special elections scheduled for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina in 2014.
Regularly scheduled elections
Voters in South Carolina elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 4, 2014.
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: 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.[3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by May 10, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 4, 2014.[4]
- See also: South Carolina elections, 2014
Incumbent: The election filled the Senate seat held by Lindsey Graham (R). Graham was first elected in 2002.
Candidates
General election candidates
June 10, 2014, primary results
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Victor Kocher[13]
Thomas Ravenel - Former State Treasurer of S.C. Ravenel said he would run, if Graham won the Republican primary, which he did.[14][15]
Special elections by date
* November 4, 2014 *
South Carolina held a special election for the U.S. Senate in 2014. The seat was a two-year term. The general election date was on November 4, 2014, where a six-year term was also up for election for the seat held by Lindsey Graham (R).
The special election was held to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Senator Jim DeMint (R).
On December 17, 2012, The Associated Press revealed that Tim Scott had been chosen by Gov. Nikki Haley to take over for DeMint after he left to become President of the Heritage Foundation in January 2013. Scott was the first black Senator from the South since Reconstruction.[16]
Candidates
General election candidates
June 10, 2014, primary results
Jill Bossi - American Party of South Carolina candidate[23]
Failed to file
Withdrew
Declined to run
Joe Wilson - current U.S. Congressman, South Carolina, District 2[17][18]
Jeff Duncan - current U.S. Congressman, South Carolina, District 3[17][18][19]
Trey Gowdy - current U.S. Congressman, South Carolina, District 4[18][21]
Mick Mulvaney - current U.S. Congressman, South Carolina, District 5[17][19]
Alan Wilson - South Carolina Attorney General[18][19]
Henry McMaster - former State Attorney General[18][19][20][21]
Nathan Ballentine - State Representative, District 71[18]
David Wilkins - former U.S. Ambassador[19]
Jenny Sanford - former South Carolina First Lady[21]
Catherine Templeton - head of state Department of Health and Environmental Control[21]
Tom Davis - State Senator, District 46[18][19][20][27]
U.S. House
U.S. House of Representatives elections in South Carolina
The 2014 U.S. House of Representatives elections in South Carolina took place on November 4, 2014. Voters elected seven candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts.
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: 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.[3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by May 10, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 4, 2014.[28]
- See also: South Carolina elections, 2014
Partisan breakdown
Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held six of the seven congressional seats from South Carolina.
| Members of the U.S. House from South Carolina -- Partisan Breakdown | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 2014 | After the 2014 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 1 | 1 | |
| Republican Party | 6 | 6 | |
| Total | 7 | 7 | |
Incumbents
Heading into the 2014 election, the incumbents for the seven congressional districts were:
| Name | Party | District |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Sanford | 1 | |
| Joe Wilson | 2 | |
| Jeff Duncan | 3 | |
| Trey Gowdy | 4 | |
| Mick Mulvaney | 5 | |
| James Clyburn | 6 | |
| Tom Rice | 7 |
List of candidates by district
1st Congressional District
General election candidates
Mark Sanford - Incumbent
Dimitri Cherny - Write-in candidate[29]
Failed to file
2nd Congressional District
General election candidates
June 10, 2014, primary results
|
Harold Geddings III Labor Party[32]
3rd Congressional District
General election candidates
June 10, 2014, primary results
|
4th Congressional District
General election candidates
Trey Gowdy - Incumbent
Curtis McLaughlin[34]
5th Congressional District
General election candidates
Mick Mulvaney - Incumbent
Tom Adams[35]
Robert McGee - Write-in
6th Congressional District
General election candidates
June 10, 2014, primary results
|
7th Congressional District
General election candidates
Tom Rice - Incumbent
Gloria Bromell Tinubu[38]
State Executives
State executive official elections in South Carolina
Ten state executive positions were up for election in 2014 in the state of South Carolina.
The following offices were elected in 2014 in South Carolina:
- Governor of South Carolina
- Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
- South Carolina Attorney General
- South Carolina Secretary of State
- South Carolina Treasurer
- South Carolina Controller
- South Carolina Auditor
- South Carolina Superintendent
- South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner
- South Carolina Adjutant General
List of candidates by office
Governor
General election
Nikki Haley - Incumbent
[39][40]
Vincent Sheheen - State Senator[41]
Steve French[42]
Morgan Reeves - United Citizens Party candidate[41]
Withdrawn
Ralph Allen Beach[43][41]
Tom Ervin[41][44]
Declined
Alan Wilson - Attorney General of South Carolina[39]
Tom Davis - State Senator
Bobby Harrell, Jr., Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives[39]
Glenn McConnell - Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina[45]
Mick Mulvaney - U.S. Representative[39]
Tim Scott - U.S. Senator[39]
Lieutenant Governor
General election
Bakari Sellers - State representative[46][47][48]
Henry McMaster
- former South Carolina Attorney General [41]
Defeated in primary or runoff
Mike Campbell[49]
Ray Moore[49]
Ineligible to run
John McGill - Incumbent
Withdrew
Pat McKinney - Retired Charleston developer[50]
Glenn McConnell - Incumbent, withdrew to become President of the College of Charleston[51][52]
Bill Connor - Orangeburg attorney[46][41]
Ralph Norman - State representative[53][41]
Attorney General
Alan Wilson - Incumbent ![]()
Parnell Diggs - Attorney[54]
Secretary of State
Mark Hammond - Incumbent![]()
Ginny Deerin - Democratic operative and nonprofit consultant[55]
Down ballot offices
| Office | Incumbent | Assumed Office | Incumbent running? | General Election Candidates | 2015 Winner | Partisan Switch? |
| Treasurer | Curtis Loftis, Jr. |
2011 | Yes | No | ||
| Comptroller General | Richard Eckstrom |
2002 | Yes | No | ||
| Superintendent of Education | Mick Zais |
2011 | No | No | ||
| Commissioner of Agriculture | Hugh Weathers |
2005 | Yes | No | ||
| Adjutant General | Robert E. Livingston, Jr. |
2011 | Yes | No |
State House
State House elections in South Carolina
Elections for all 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 30, 2014.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the South Carolina House of Representatives:
| South Carolina House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2014 | After November 4, 2014 | |
| Democratic Party | 46 | 46 | |
| Republican Party | 78 | 77 | |
| Vacant | 0 | 1 | |
| Total | 124 | 124 | |
List of candidates by district
District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47 • District 48 • District 49 • District 50 • District 51 • District 52 • District 53 • District 54 • District 55 • District 56 • District 57 • District 58 • District 59 • District 60 • District 61 • District 62 • District 63 • District 64 • District 65 • District 66 • District 67 • District 68 • District 69 • District 70 • District 71 • District 72 • District 73 • District 74 • District 75 • District 76 • District 77 • District 78 • District 79 • District 80 • District 81 • District 82 • District 83 • District 84 • District 85 • District 86 • District 87 • District 88 • District 89 • District 90 • District 91 • District 92 • District 93 • District 94 • District 95 • District 96 • District 97 • District 98 • District 99 • District 100 • District 101 • District 102 • District 103 • District 104 • District 105 • District 106 • District 107 • District 108 • District 109 • District 110 • District 111 • District 112 • District 113 • District 114 • District 115 • District 116 • District 117 • District 118 • District 119 • District 120 • District 121 • District 122 • District 123 • District 124
Statewide ballot measures
Statewide ballot measure elections in South Carolina
- See also: South Carolina 2014 ballot measures and 2014 ballot measures
Four ballot measures were certified for the 2014 ballot in the state of South Carolina.
Party-specific advisory questions appeared on the Democratic Party and Republican Party primary ballots.
On the ballot
June 10:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQs | Democratic Primary Advisory Questions | Elections | Advises the state Democratic Party on three political issues | |
| AQs | Republican Primary Advisory Questions | Elections | Advises the Republican Party on two political issues |
November 4:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Gambling | Legalizes raffles conducted by non-profit organizations for charitable purposes | |
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | Elections | Requires that the governor appoint the state’s adjutant general |
School boards
School board elections in South Carolina
In 2014, 670 of America's largest school districts held elections for 2,188 seats. These elections took place in 37 states.
State elections
A total of 23 South Carolina school districts among America's largest school districts by enrollment held elections in 2014 for 95 seats. Kershaw County School District held its election on June 10, 2014. The other 22 districts held elections on November 4, 2014.
Here are several quick facts about South Carolina's school board elections in 2014:
- An average of 1.67 candidates ran for each board seat up for election in 2014 in South Carolina’s largest school districts by enrollment, which was lower than the national average of 1.89 candidates per seat.
- 44.21 percent of the school board seats on the ballot in 2014 were unopposed. This was a higher percentage than the 32.57 percent of school board seats that were unopposed nationally.
- 77.89 percent of the incumbents whose seats were on the ballot ran for re-election in 2014, and they retained 62.11 percent of the total seats up for election.
- A total of 34 newcomers were elected to school boards in South Carolina. They took 35.79 percent of the total seats in 2014, which was lower than the 38.19 percent of school board seats that went to newcomers nationally.
- The largest school district by enrollment with an election in 2014 was Greenville County School District with 71,930 K-12 students.
- The smallest school district by enrollment with an election in 2014 was Anderson School District One with 9,246 K-12 students.
- The Beaufort County School District had the most seats on the ballot in 2014 with seven seats up for election.
- The School District of Oconee County had the fewest seats on the ballot in 2014 with two seats up for election.
The districts listed below served 491,536 K-12 students during the 2010-2011 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.[56] Click on the district names for more information on the district and its school board elections.
Voting in South Carolina
- See also: Voting in South Carolina
Important voting information
- 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.[3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
- South Carolina has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Voting absentee
- See also: Absentee voting by state
For information about eligibility, deadlines, military and overseas voting and updates to the voting laws in South Carolina, please visit our absentee voting by state page.
Voting early
- See also: Early voting
South Carolina is one of eight states that allow early voting but require an excuse to vote early. Early voting begins as soon as ballots become available and ends at 5 p.m. the day prior to Election Day. To vote early, a voter needs to provide an excuse for why they will be unable to vote at the polls during normal voting hours. Those who qualify for an absentee ballot also qualify to vote early.[57][58]
Elections Performance Index
South Carolina ranked 40th out of the 50 states and District of Columbia in the Pew Charitable Trusts' Elections Performance Index (EPI), based on the 2012 elections. The EPI examined election administration performance and assigned an average percentage score based on 17 indicators of election performance. These indicators were chosen in order to determine both the convenience and integrity of these three phases of an election: registration, voting and counting. South Carolina received an overall score of 58 percent.[59]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 WPDE News, "SC State Treasurer won't run for governor," January 25, 2013 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "reelec" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Washington Post, "South Carolina Gov. Haley launches re-election campaign (Video)," August 26, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 South Carolina General Assembly, "S.C. Code Ann. § 7–9–20," accessed September 16, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "South Carolina Voter Registration Information," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Associated Press, "South Carolina - Summary Vote Results," accessed June 10, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ap" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "ap" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The State, "Ravenel makes US Senate run official," July 4, 2014
- ↑ Daily Caller, "Nancy Mace to announce primary challenge against Lindsey Graham," accessed August 1, 2013
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Politico, "Nancy Mace makes Senate run official in South Carolina," accessed August 3, 2013
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Pastor joins crowded GOP race to unseat Lindsey Graham," February 4, 2014
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 SC Votes, "Primary Candidate Filings," accessed March 31, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "list" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "list" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "list" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "list" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Jaystamper.com, "Home," accessed May 21, 2013
- ↑ The State, "Brad Hutto files to run for U.S. Senate," March 28, 2014
- ↑ SC Votes, "General Election Candidate List," accessed April 1, 2014
- ↑ The State, "EXCLUSIVE: That’s how the real Thomas Ravenel rolls," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ The State, "Thomas Ravenel eyes independent Senate run if Lindsey Graham wins GOP primary," accessed May 29, 2014
- ↑ USA Today, "South Carolina to get first black senator in Tim Scott," December 17, 2012
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwp - ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 Roll Call, "Appointment Speculation Centers on Rep. Tim Scott," December 6, 2012
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 Politico, "All eyes on Nikki Haley to pick Jim DeMint successor," December 7, 2012
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 National Journal, "DeMint Resignation Sets Off South Carolina Scramble," December 6, 2012
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 CNN.com, "First on CNN: Haley finalizes short list for DeMint seat," December 11, 2012
- ↑ Green Papers, "SC," accessed January 24, 2014
- ↑ Bossi for Senate, "Home," accessed May 29, 2014
- ↑ SCVotes.gov, "Candidate Listing for the 11/4/2014 Statewide General Election," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Campaign website, "Home," accessed January 13, 2014
- ↑ The State, "ELECTION 2014: Rick Wade drops out of U.S. Senate race," March 6, 2014
- ↑ Island Packet, "Patrick, Lotz mulling run for Scott's U.S. House seat," December 17, 2012
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "South Carolina Voter Registration Information," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ SCWay.net, "2014 SC Candidates – US House of Representatives," accessed May 29, 2014
- ↑ SC Votes, "Candidate List," accessed March 31, 2014
- ↑ Campaign website, "Home", accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ SC Votes, "General Election Candidate List," accessed April 1, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "South Carolina - Summary Vote Results," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ SC Votes, "Candidate Search," accessed April 1, 2014
- ↑ SC Votes, "Candidate Search," accessed April 1, 2014
- ↑ The Times and Democrat, "Clyburn announces run for 12th term next year", accessed August 28, 2013
- ↑ Campaign website, "Leon Winn", accessed December 2, 2013
- ↑ SC Votes, "Candidate Search," accessed April 1, 2014
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 Lexington County Chronicle and The Dispatch-News, "Will Governor Haley survive 2014 gubernatorial race?" August 16, 2012
- ↑ The Associated Press via MyrtleBeachOnline, "Gov Haley names co-chairs for possible run in 2014," February 19, 2013
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," March 31, 2014
- ↑ The State, "Libertarian joins SC governor’s race," March 17, 2014
- ↑ Facebook, "Ralph Allen Beach for Governor Of South Carolina in 2014," accessed September 3, 2013
- ↑ Island Packet, "Tom Ervin jumps out of GOP governor’s race," April 11, 2014
- ↑ Charleston City Paper, "Will lenn McConnell go after Nikki Haley's job?" March 28, 2012
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 The Post and Courier, "S.C. lieutenant governor’s race could heat up soon," May 8, 2013
- ↑ The State, "Sellers to run for lieutenant governor," June 4, 2014
- ↑ WISTV.com, "Bakari Sellers forms committee for lt. gov. run," June 6, 2013
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 South Carolina Election Commission, "Candidate Tracking," March 27, 2014
- ↑ GoUpstate, "Retired Charleston developer to run for lieutenant governor," October 15, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ The State, "McConnell: Why I will not seek election as lieutenant governor," January 6, 2014
- ↑ The State, "McConnell named College of Charleston president," March 24, 2014
- ↑ WRHI, "S.C. Rep. Ralph Norman considering run for Lt. Governor," December 16, 2013
- ↑ The State, "ELECTION 2014: Parnell Diggs to run for Attorney General," January 22, 2014
- ↑ The State, "Democratic political operative to challenge Hammond for SC secretary of state," February 18, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed March 21, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedabsentee - ↑ Long Distance Voter, "Early Voting Rules," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Pew Charitable Trusts, "Election Performance Index Report," accessed April 23, 2014
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