Republican Party primaries in South Carolina, 2020

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2022
2018

Republican Party primaries, 2020

South Carolina Republican Party.jpg

Primary Date
June 9, 2020

Primary Runoff Date
June 23, 2020

Federal elections
Republican primary for U.S. Senate
Republican primaries for U.S. House

State party
Republican Party of South Carolina
State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in South Carolina on June 9, 2020. Click here for more information about the Democratic primaries.

Note that the dates and terms of participation for presidential preference primaries and caucuses sometimes differ from those that apply to primaries for state-level and other federal offices, which are the subject of this article. For more information on this state's presidential nomination process, click here.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in South Carolina, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary)

The 2020 U.S. Senate elections in South Carolina took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in South Carolina, 2020 (June 9 Republican primaries)

The 2020 U.S. House of Representatives elections in South Carolina took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected seven candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's seven congressional districts.

District 1

Republican Party Republican primary candidates


Did not make the ballot:


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

District 3

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

District 4

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

District 5

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

District 6

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:


Candidate Connection = candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 7

Republican Party Republican primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:


Did not make the ballot:

State elections

State Senate

See also: South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020
The South Carolina State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state Senate candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

South Carolina State Senate elections, 2020

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
  • * = The primary was canceled and the candidate advanced.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngThomas Alexander* (i)

District 2

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRex Rice* (i)

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngJudith Polson*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Cash (i)
Craig Wooten

District 4

Green check mark transparent.pngJose Villa*

Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Gambrell* (i)

District 5

Green check mark transparent.pngMichael McCord*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Corbin (i)
Dave Edwards

District 6

Green check mark transparent.pngHao Wu*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngDwight Loftis* (i)

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngKarl Allen (i)
Fletcher Smith

Green check mark transparent.pngJack Logan*

District 8

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRoss Turner (i)
Janice Curtis

District 9

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Verdin* (i)

District 10

Green check mark transparent.pngFloyd Nicholson* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngBilly Garrett
J. Bryan Hope

District 11

Green check mark transparent.pngGlenn Reese* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJosh Kimbrell*

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngDawn Bingham*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngScott Talley (i)
Mark Lynch  Candidate Connection

District 13

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngShane Martin* (i)

District 14

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngHarvey Peeler* (i)

District 15

Green check mark transparent.pngVickie Holt*

Green check mark transparent.pngWes Climer* (i)

District 16

Green check mark transparent.pngRamin Mammadov*  Candidate Connection

Kristen Blanchard
Runoff Arrow.jpgMichael Johnson  Candidate Connection
Mike Neese
Runoff Arrow.jpgTom Nichols

District 17

Green check mark transparent.pngMike Fanning (i)
MaryGail Douglas

Green check mark transparent.pngErin Mosley*

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngChristopher Thibault*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngRonnie Cromer (i)
Charles Bumgardner  Candidate Connection

District 19

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Scott* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 20

Green check mark transparent.pngDick Harpootlian* (i)

Randy Dickey
Green check mark transparent.pngBenjamin Dunn

Did not make the ballot:
Moe Baddourah 

District 21

Green check mark transparent.pngDarrell Jackson* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngMia McLeod* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngLee Blatt  Candidate Connection
David Larsen

Did not make the ballot:
Michael Letts  Candidate Connection

District 23

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Brown*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngKatrina Shealy* (i)

District 24

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Did not make the ballot:
Lisa Williams 

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Young* (i)

District 25

Green check mark transparent.pngShirley Green Fayson*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngShane Massey (i)
Susan Swanson

District 26

Green check mark transparent.pngNikki Setzler* (i)

Perry Finch
Green check mark transparent.pngChris Smith

District 27

Green check mark transparent.pngVincent Sheheen* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngPenry Gustafson*

District 28

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngGreg Hembree* (i)

District 29

Green check mark transparent.pngGerald Malloy* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJ.D. Chaplin
Ronald Page

District 30

Green check mark transparent.pngKent Williams (i)
Patrick Richardson

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 31

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngHugh Leatherman* (i)

District 32

Green check mark transparent.pngRonnie Sabb (i)
Ted Brown
Manley Collins
Kelly Spann Jr.

Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Ellison*  Candidate Connection

District 33

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Runoff Arrow.jpgLuke Rankin (i)
Runoff Arrow.jpgJohn Gallman
Carter Smith  Candidate Connection

District 34

Green check mark transparent.pngEmily Cegledy*

Green check mark transparent.pngStephen Goldfinch Jr.* (i)

District 35

Green check mark transparent.pngThomas McElveen* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 36

Green check mark transparent.pngKevin Johnson (i)
Eleazer Carter

Green check mark transparent.pngLeon Winn*

District 37

Green check mark transparent.pngKathryn Whitaker*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLawrence Grooms* (i)

District 38

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Lowe*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngSean Bennett* (i)

District 39

Runoff Arrow.jpgCindy Evans
William Johnson
Jerry Montgomery
Runoff Arrow.jpgVernon Stephens

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Connor*

District 40

Green check mark transparent.pngBrad Hutto (i)
Michael Addison

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 41

Jason Mills  Candidate Connection
Green check mark transparent.pngSam Skardon  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngSandy Senn* (i)

District 42

Green check mark transparent.pngMarlon Kimpson* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 43

Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Hricik*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Campsen* (i)

District 44

Green check mark transparent.pngDebbie Bryant  Candidate Connection
Kris DeLorme

Green check mark transparent.pngBrian Adams
Gayla McSwain  Candidate Connection

District 45

Green check mark transparent.pngMargie Bright Matthews* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngRodney Buncum*

District 46

Green check mark transparent.pngNathan Campbell*

Green check mark transparent.pngTom Davis* (i)

State House

See also: South Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020
The South Carolina House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. To see a full list of state House candidates in the Republican primaries, click "Show more" below.
Show more

South Carolina State House elections, 2020

  • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
  • Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
  • * = The primary was canceled and the candidate advanced.
Office Democratic Party Democratic Republican Party Republican Other
District 1

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBill Whitmire* (i)

District 2

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBill Sandifer III* (i)

District 3

Green check mark transparent.pngEunice Lehmacher*  Candidate Connection

Runoff Arrow.jpgPhillip Bowers
Runoff Arrow.jpgJerry Carter  Candidate Connection
William Masters

District 4

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDavey Hiott* (i)

District 5

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Runoff Arrow.jpgNeal Collins (i)
David Cox
Runoff Arrow.jpgAllan Quinn

District 6

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBrian White* (i)

District 7

Green check mark transparent.pngAndrea Bejarano-Robinson*

Green check mark transparent.pngJay West* (i)

District 8

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJonathon Hill (i)
Vaughn Parfitt

Did not make the ballot:
Mike Holden 

District 9

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngAnne Thayer* (i)

District 10

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngWest Cox (i)
Mark Durham

District 11

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngCraig Gagnon* (i)

District 12

Green check mark transparent.pngJ. Anne Parks* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Pearman*  Candidate Connection

District 13

Green check mark transparent.pngDenise Waldrep*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn McCravy* (i)

District 14

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngStewart Jones* (i)

District 15

Green check mark transparent.pngJA Moore* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngSamuel Rivers Jr.*

District 16

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMark Willis* (i)

District 17

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMike Burns* (i)

District 18

Green check mark transparent.pngBenjamin Smith*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngTommy Stringer (i)
Sam Manley

District 19

Green check mark transparent.pngJevarus Howard*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngPatrick Haddon* (i)

District 20

Green check mark transparent.pngStephen Dreyfus*

Green check mark transparent.pngAdam Morgan* (i)  Candidate Connection

District 21

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBobby Cox* (i)

District 22

Green check mark transparent.pngB.K. Brown*

Green check mark transparent.pngJason Elliott* (i)

District 23

Green check mark transparent.pngChandra Dillard* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 24

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBruce Bannister* (i)

District 25

Green check mark transparent.pngLeola Robinson-Simpson (i)
Adriene Atkinson
Bruce Wilson

Green check mark transparent.pngDarath Mackie*

District 26

Green check mark transparent.pngMonica Danneman*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngR. Raye Felder* (i)

District 27

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngGarry Smith* (i)

District 28

Green check mark transparent.pngTy Washington*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngAshley Trantham* (i)

District 29

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDennis Moss* (i)

District 30

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngSteve Moss* (i)

District 31

Green check mark transparent.pngRosalyn Henderson Myers* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 32

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMax Hyde* (i)

District 33

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngTravis Moore
Jarred Spencer

District 34

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRoger Nutt*  Candidate Connection

District 35

Green check mark transparent.pngHelen Pendarvis*

Runoff Arrow.jpgBill Chumley (i)
Runoff Arrow.jpgChris Bennett  Candidate Connection
Garey Collins

District 36

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMerita Ann Allison* (i)

District 37

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngSteven Long* (i)

District 38

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJosiah Magnuson* (i)

District 39

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngCal Forrest* (i)

District 40

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRichard Martin* (i)

District 41

Green check mark transparent.pngAnnie McDaniel (i)
Charlene Herring

Green check mark transparent.pngJennifer Brecheisen*

District 42

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngDoug Gilliam (i)
Melinda Butler

District 43

Green check mark transparent.pngReid Carrico*

Green check mark transparent.pngRandy Ligon* (i)

District 44

Green check mark transparent.pngMandy Powers Norrell* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngSandy McGarry*  Candidate Connection

District 45

Green check mark transparent.pngKeith Grey*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBrandon Newton* (i)

District 46

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngGary Simrill* (i)

District 47

Green check mark transparent.pngRyan Arioli*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngTommy Pope* (i)

District 48

Green check mark transparent.pngKathryn Roberts*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBruce M. Bryant* (i)

District 49

Green check mark transparent.pngJohn King* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJohnny Walker*

District 50

Green check mark transparent.pngWill Wheeler* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 51

Green check mark transparent.pngJ. David Weeks* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 52

Green check mark transparent.pngLaurie Funderburk* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngVic Dabney*

Did not make the ballot:
Penry Gustafson 

District 53

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRichie Yow* (i)

District 54

Green check mark transparent.pngPatricia Henegan* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngSterling McDiarmid*

District 55

Green check mark transparent.pngJackie Hayes* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 56

Green check mark transparent.pngBruce Fischer*

Green check mark transparent.pngTim McGinnis* (i)

District 57

Green check mark transparent.pngLucas Atkinson (i)
Miko Pickett  Candidate Connection

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 58

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Johnson* (i)

District 59

Green check mark transparent.pngTerry Alexander* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 60

Green check mark transparent.pngTeresa Cain
La'Sha McClain  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngPhillip Lowe* (i)

District 61

Green check mark transparent.pngRoger Kirby* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 62

Green check mark transparent.pngRobert Williams* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 63

Green check mark transparent.pngIsaac Wilson*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJay Jordan* (i)

District 64

Jack Furse
Green check mark transparent.pngKimberly Johnson
Robert McFadden Sr.

Did not make the ballot:
Alex Craven 

Hal Cercopely
Green check mark transparent.pngCindy Risher

District 65

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJames Lucas* (i)

District 66

Green check mark transparent.pngGilda Cobb-Hunter* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngJeffrey Cila*  Candidate Connection

District 67

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngG. Murrell Smith Jr.* (i)

District 68

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngHeather Ammons Crawford (i)
Mark Epps

District 69

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngChris Wooten* (i)

District 70

Green check mark transparent.pngWendy Brawley* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 71

Green check mark transparent.pngTerry Seawright*

Green check mark transparent.pngNathan Ballentine* (i)

District 72

Green check mark transparent.pngSeth Rose* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 73

Green check mark transparent.pngChristopher Hart* (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Yolanda Anderson 

Green check mark transparent.pngMyron Samuels*

District 74

Green check mark transparent.pngJames Rutherford* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngVimalkumar Jariwala*

District 75

Green check mark transparent.pngRhodes Bailey  Candidate Connection
Heather Bauer

Green check mark transparent.pngKirkman Finlay III* (i)

District 76

Green check mark transparent.pngLeon Howard* (i)

Did not make the ballot:
Bridget Deline  Candidate Connection

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 77

Green check mark transparent.pngKambrell Garvin* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 78

Green check mark transparent.pngBeth Bernstein* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngViresh Sinha*

District 79

Green check mark transparent.pngIvory Thigpen* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 80

Jimmy Bales (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngJermaine Johnson  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngVincent Wilson*

District 81

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBart Blackwell (i)
Robert Williams

District 82

Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam Clyburn Sr.* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 83

Green check mark transparent.pngEvelyn Robinson*

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Hixon* (i)

District 84

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMelissa Oremus* (i)

District 85

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngChip Huggins* (i)

District 86

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngBill Taylor* (i)

District 87

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngPaula Rawl Calhoon* (i)

District 88

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Brian Duncan
John Lastinger
Runoff Arrow.jpgRJ May
Eddie McCain
Runoff Arrow.jpgMichael Sturkie

District 89

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngMicah Caskey* (i)

District 90

Green check mark transparent.pngJustin Bamberg (i)
Evert Comer Jr.

Green check mark transparent.pngGlenn Posey*

District 91

Green check mark transparent.pngLonnie Hosey* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 92

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngJoseph Daning* (i)

District 93

Green check mark transparent.pngRussell L. Ott* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 94

Green check mark transparent.pngPatricia Cannon
Damian Daly

Green check mark transparent.pngGil Gatch  Candidate Connection
Evan Guthrie

District 95

Green check mark transparent.pngJerry Govan Jr. (i)
Kevin Ray

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 96

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Lawrence Kit Spires (i)
Green check mark transparent.pngD. Ryan McCabe

District 97

Green check mark transparent.pngRonee De Canio*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngMandy Kimmons* (i)

District 98

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngChris Murphy* (i)

District 99

Green check mark transparent.pngJen Gibson  Candidate Connection
Donna Newton

Runoff Arrow.jpgDavid Herndon
Shawn Pinkston
Runoff Arrow.jpgMark Smith
Chris Staubes

District 100

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngSylleste Davis (i)
Tom Fernandez

District 101

Green check mark transparent.pngCezar McKnight* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 102

Green check mark transparent.pngJoseph Jefferson Jr.* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 103

Green check mark transparent.pngCarl Anderson* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 104

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam Bailey* (i)

District 105

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngKevin J. Hardee (i)
Steve Robertson  Candidate Connection

District 106

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngRussell Fry* (i)

District 107

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngAlan Clemmons (i)
Case Brittain

District 108

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngLee Hewitt* (i)

District 109

Runoff Arrow.jpgJames Johnson
Runoff Arrow.jpgDeon Tedder  Candidate Connection
Jeff Wilder  Candidate Connection

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 110

Green check mark transparent.pngRebecca Niess Cingolani*  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Lelia Slater 

Green check mark transparent.pngWilliam S. Cogswell Jr. (i)
Rouzy Vafaie

District 111

Green check mark transparent.pngWendell Gilliard (i)
Regina Duggins  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngTed Vining*

District 112

Green check mark transparent.pngDaniel Brownstein  Candidate Connection
David Quick  Candidate Connection

Did not make the ballot:
Cheryl McMurry Kaynard 

Ryan Buckhannon
Green check mark transparent.pngJoe Bustos

District 113

Green check mark transparent.pngMarvin Pendarvis (i)
Raneisha Holmes

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 114

Green check mark transparent.pngEd Sutton*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngLin Bennett* (i)

District 115

Runoff Arrow.jpgSpencer Wetmore (i)
Eileen Dougherty  Candidate Connection
Runoff Arrow.jpgCarol Tempel

Green check mark transparent.pngJosh Stokes  Candidate Connection
Kathleen Wilson

District 116

Charles Glover Sr.
Millicent Traeye Middleton
Green check mark transparent.pngChardale Murray
John Prioleau Sr.

Green check mark transparent.pngCarroll O'Neal*

District 117

Green check mark transparent.pngKrystle Matthews* (i)

Bill Crosby
Green check mark transparent.pngJordan Pace

District 118

Green check mark transparent.pngMitchell Siegel*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngBill Herbkersman (i)
Mike Covert

District 119

Green check mark transparent.pngLeonidas Stavrinakis* (i)

The Republican primary was canceled.


District 120

The Democratic primary was canceled.


Green check mark transparent.pngWeston Newton* (i)

District 121

Green check mark transparent.pngMichael Rivers* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngEric Erickson*

District 122

Green check mark transparent.pngShedron Williams* (i)

Green check mark transparent.pngAshley Lawton*

District 123

Green check mark transparent.pngChristine deVries*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngJeff Bradley (i)
Phil Hartman

District 124

Green check mark transparent.pngBarb Nash*  Candidate Connection

Green check mark transparent.pngShannon Erickson* (i)  Candidate Connection

Context of the 2020 elections

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

State party overview

See also: Republican Party of South Carolina


State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Republican state party affiliates.


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.[1][2]

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.[3]


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.[4] 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.[4]


Automatic registration

South Carolina does not practice automatic voter registration.[1]

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.[1]

Residency requirements

Prospective voters must be residents of the county and precinct in which they are registering to vote.[4]

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

South Carolina does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.[4] 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.[5] 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.[3][6]

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.[7]

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:[8]

  • Persons with employment obligations which prevent them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons attending a sick or physically disabled person which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons confined to a jail or pretrial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons who will be absent from their county of residence during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons with physical disabilities.
  • Persons sixty-five years of age or older.
  • Members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them (Learn more about procedures related to Military and Overseas Citizens).
  • Persons admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a four-day period before the election.[9]

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.[8] According to the South Carolina Election Commission's website, only the following types of voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail:[8]

  • Persons with employment obligations which prevent them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons attending a sick or physically disabled person which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons confined to a jail or pretrial facility pending disposition of arrest or trial which prevents them from voting during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons who will be absent from their county of residence during early voting hours for the duration of the early voting period, and during the hours the polls are open on election day.
  • Persons with physical disabilities.
  • Persons sixty-five years of age or older.
  • Members of the Armed Forces and Merchant Marines of the United States, their spouses, and dependents residing with them (Learn more about procedures related to Military and Overseas Citizens).
  • Persons admitted to a hospital as an emergency patient on the day of the election or within a four-day period before the election.[9]

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.[8]

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 46 South Carolina counties—10.9 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Barnwell County, South Carolina 5.16% 5.33% 1.65%
Calhoun County, South Carolina 2.83% 4.31% 3.55%
Chester County, South Carolina 4.83% 10.58% 8.30%
Colleton County, South Carolina 8.49% 0.19% 0.53%
McCormick County, South Carolina 3.32% 3.60% 6.08%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won South Carolina with 54.9 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 40.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, South Carolina cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 53.3 percent of the time. In that same time frame, South Carolina supported Democratic candidates for president more often than Republican candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. South Carolina favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in South Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns show the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns show the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[10][11]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 39 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 38 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 85 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 28.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 86 out of 124 state House districts in South Carolina with an average margin of victory of 30.1 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ncsl" defined multiple times with different content
  2. South Carolina Legislature,"South Carolina Code of Laws Unannotated § 7-9-10," accessed September 24, 2024
  3. 3.0 3.1 South Carolina Election Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election," accessed August 20, 2024
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 South Carolina Election Commission, “Register to Vote,” accessed May 2, 2023
  5. 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."
  6. Justia, "SC Code § 7-13-710 (2022)," accessed May 2, 2023
  7. South Carolina Elections Commission, "FAQs for the 2024 General Election, accessed August 13, 2024
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 South Carolina State Election Commission, "Absentee Voting," accessed May 2, 2023
  9. 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  10. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  11. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017