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South Carolina judicial elections: Difference between revisions

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*Elections in South Carolina
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**[[South Carolina local trial court judicial elections, 2018]]
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**[[South Carolina judicial elections, 2016]]
 
**[[South Carolina judicial elections, 2010]]
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*Courts in South Carolina
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**[[South Carolina Supreme Court]]
{{State judicial elections links|South Carolina1}}
**[[South Carolina Court of Appeals]]
 
**[[South Carolina Circuit Courts]]
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**[[South Carolina Masters-in-Equity]]
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**[[South Carolina Family Courts]]
*[[South Carolina Supreme Court]]
**[[South Carolina Magistrate Courts]]
*[[South Carolina Court of Appeals]]
**[[South Carolina Municipal Courts]]
*[[South Carolina Circuit Courts]]
**[[South Carolina Probate Courts]]
*[[South Carolina Masters-in-Equity]]
**[[United States District Court for the District of South Carolina]]
*[[South Carolina Family Courts]]
**[[United States bankruptcy court, District of South Carolina]]
*[[South Carolina Magistrate Courts]]
*[[Judicial selection in South Carolina]]
*[[South Carolina Municipal Courts]]
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*[[South Carolina Probate Courts]]
*[[United States District Court for the District of South Carolina]]
*[[United States bankruptcy court, District of South Carolina]]
 
|menu-3-label=Judicial selection in South Carolina
|menu-3-link=Judicial selection in South Carolina
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Most judges in [[South Carolina]] do not participate in popular elections, but instead are chosen by the [[legislative election of judges]].  Judges are also chosen via this method in [[Virginia]].
Most judges in [[South Carolina]] do not participate in popular elections, but instead are chosen by the [[legislative election of judges]].  Judges are also chosen via this method in [[Virginia]].


The exception is the election of [[South Carolina Probate Courts|probate court]] judges. These judges compete in [[partisan elections]] in every other general election year.<ref>[http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t07c013.php  ''South Carolina Legislature,'' "Code of Laws, Section 7-13-30," accessed June 20, 2014]</ref>
The exception is the election of [[South Carolina Probate Courts|probate court]] judges. These judges compete in [[partisan elections]] in every other general election year. Judges must run for re-election in partisan elections for subsequent terms.<ref>[http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t07c013.php  ''South Carolina Legislature,'' "Code of Laws, Section 7-13-30," accessed June 20, 2014]</ref>


South Carolina {{Partisan/Nonpartisan Judicial Elections}}
{{State judicial election types|State=South Carolina}}


==Elections==
==Elections==
{{State judicial elections links|South Carolina2}}
*[[South Carolina local trial court judicial elections, 2018]]
*[[South Carolina local trial court judicial elections, 2018]]
*[[South Carolina judicial elections, 2016]]
*[[South Carolina judicial elections, 2016]]
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{{South Carolina courts}}
{{South Carolina courts}}
[[category:South Carolina judicial elections]]
[[category:South Carolina judicial elections]]
[[Category:Judicial elections by state]][[Category:South Carolina]]

Latest revision as of 20:31, 1 December 2025

Most judges in South Carolina do not participate in popular elections, but instead are chosen by the legislative election of judges. Judges are also chosen via this method in Virginia.

The exception is the election of probate court judges. These judges compete in partisan elections in every other general election year. Judges must run for re-election in partisan elections for subsequent terms.[1]

South Carolina is one of 11 states that does not use judicial elections as a selection method. Instead, judges are selected by one of the appointment methods. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.

Elections

Election rules

Primary election

Primary elections for probate court candidates are conducted on the second Tuesday in June.[2]

Unopposed candidates

Unopposed candidates for the probate courts do not appear on the primary ballots, but automatically advance to the general election.[3]

Runoffs

Also referred to as a "second primary," a primary runoff is held two weeks after the primary for races where more than two candidates filed to compete for one seat in a party primary. If that is the case, the two highest-voted candidates from the primary advance to a runoff. The person with the most votes in the runoff becomes the party's nominee for the general election.[4]

For example, if two Democratic candidates compete in the primary, the winner simply advances to the general election. However, if three Democratic candidates compete in the primary, the top two advance to the runoff. The winner of the runoff would face any Republican candidate in the general election.

See also

South Carolina Judicial Selection More Courts
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Courts in South Carolina
South Carolina Court of Appeals
South Carolina Supreme Court
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Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in South Carolina
Federal courts
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Footnotes