The Green Papers: South Carolina 2023 General Election
 
This page is for offices up for election in 2023. Find 2024 elections here.

Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ South Carolina
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
Governor:1 
2020 Census:5,124,712 (1.65% of 309,785,186)
2024, 2028 Electoral Votes:9(0.00% of 538)
2022-2030 Representatives:7(1.61% of 435)
Capital:Columbia
 

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South Carolina State and Local Government

South Carolina Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions:
Democrats   Republicans


If no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the primary, a runoff will be held between the top two vote-getters.

Voters who voted in a party's primary, can vote only in the runoff of the same party. Voters who did not vote in the primary, may vote in either party's runoff.

The primary is for Democratic and Republican candidates only. Candidates running unopposed for their Party's nomination will not appear on primary ballots.

A defeated primary candidate may not actively offer or campaign as a write-in candidate for the ensuing election. The use of posters or stickers on the ballot is not permitted. The voting machine provides for a voter to write-in a candidate. Write-in votes are not allowed in primary elections or the election of President or Vice-president.

While the state permits fusion (a candidate may be nominated by multiple parties), if a candidate runs for and looses a primary (of any party), the candidate cannot appear on the November ballot. [Section 7-11-10]

13 May 2022: Governor Henry D. McMaster (Republican) signed S 0108 {Rat #165} that bans fusion voting (candidates can run under the banner of multiple parties) effective in 2023.

The Alliance, Constitution, Green, Independence, Labor, Libertarian, United Citizens, and Working Families Parties may nominate by convention.


6 January 2023: The U.S. District Court strikes down the South Carolina U.S. House CD 1 boundaries as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. The court ordered the South Carolina General Assembly to present the Court with a remedial map no later than 31 March 2023. South Carolina Conference of the NAACP v Alexander, 3:21cv-3302.

 
           

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 118th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

Class 2 Republican Senator Lindsey Olin Graham
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008, 2014, 2020.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026
 Candidate list (1)
  Candidate Republican     Senator Lindsey Olin Graham
FEC S0SC00149

Class 3 Republican Senator Timothy E. "Tim" Scott
Served in U.S. House- first elected: 2010; re-elected: 2012. Appointed to the U.S. Senate: 2 January 2013 (re: resignation of Senator James W. "Jim" DeMint [Republican]); first elected in a special election: 4 November 2014; re-elected: 2016, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 7 November 2028
12 April 2023: Announced Presidential Exploratory Committee.
12 November 2023: "I love America more today than I did on May 22nd, but when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign...."

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms, All Governors

  Republican Governor Henry Dargan McMaster
24 January 2017: Ascended to the Governor's Chair following the resignation of Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley (Republican) who became United Nations Ambassador; first elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022.
Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election.
Open Chair - At term limit.

Lieutenant Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. (Beginning in 2018, the Lieutenant Governor will be elected on same ticket with the Governor.)

  Republican Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette
First elected: 2018; re-elected: 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

118th U.S. House of Representatives  2-year term. Election Cycle 2024, 2026. No Term Limit. 118th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
6 Republican (6 Undetermined);
1 Democratic (1 Undetermined)

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 1 Republican Member of Congress Nancy R. Mace
First elected: 2020
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (5) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Democratic     William McAdoo "Mac" Deford
FEC H4SC01305; 30 Sep 23; Tot $107,383; Dsb $66,937
  Candidate Democratic     Benjamin "Ben" Frasier, Jr.
FEC H6SC01136
  Candidate Democratic     Michael B. Moore
FEC H4SC01297; 30 Sep 23; Tot $343,065; Dsb $248,802
  Candidate Republican     Austin Hugh Anderson
FEC H4SC01289
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress Nancy R. Mace
FEC H0SC01394; 30 Sep 23; Tot $1,162,388; Dsb $442,456

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 2 Republican Member of Congress Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson, Sr.
First Elected 18 December 2001 in a special election to fill the seat vacated by the death of Floyd Spence.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (2) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Democratic     David Brown
FEC H6SC02126
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson, Sr.
FEC H2SC02059; 30 Sep 23; Tot $255,962; Dsb $264,909

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 3 Republican Member of Congress Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
First elected: 2010
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (3) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Democratic     Daniel A. Duncan
FEC H4SC03145
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
FEC H0SC03077; 30 Sep 23; Tot $704,381; Dsb $510,009
  Candidate Independent     Elspeth Snow Murday
FEC H4SC03137

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 4 Republican Member of Congress William Richardson Timmons, IV
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (2) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Republican     state Representative Adam M. Morgan
FEC H4SC04093
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress William Richardson Timmons, IV
FEC H8SC04250; 30 Sep 23; Tot $704,499; Dsb $273,467

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 5 Republican Member of Congress Ralph W. Norman, Jr.
First elected in a Special Election: 20 June 2017 [re: resignation of Member of Congress John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney (Republican) to become Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump Administration]
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (2) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress Ralph W. Norman, Jr.
FEC H8SC05158; 30 Sep 23; Tot $140,742; Dsb $57,509
  Candidate Independent     Elizabeth Tedder
FEC H4SC05066

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 6 Democratic Member of Congress James Enos "Jim" Clyburn
First elected: 1992
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (4) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Democratic     Gregg Marcel Dixon
FEC H2SC06134; 30 Sep 23; Tot $60,583; Dsb $68,878
  Candidate Republican     former Walterboro Council Member Duke Buckner
FEC H2SC06142; 30 Sep 23; Tot $4,381; Dsb $3,488
  Candidate Republican     Dennis Ray Whiteley
FEC H4SC06130
  Candidate Nonpartisan     Justin Ginn
FEC H4SC06122

Incumbent - 118th Congress
CD 7 Republican Member of Congress Russell W. Fry
First elected: 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 5 November 2024
 Candidate list (2) - 119th Congress
  Candidate Democratic     Mal Hyman
FEC H6SC07018
  Candidate Republican     Member of Congress Russell W. Fry
FEC H2SC07280; 30 Sep 23; Tot $464,010; Dsb $417,329

Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Republican Secretary of State John Mark "Mark" Hammond
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Republican Attorney General Michael Alan "Alan" Wilson
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014, 2018, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Republican Treasurer Curtis M. "Curt" Loftis, Jr.
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014, 2018, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

Comptroller General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Democratic Comptroller General Brian J. Gains
Appointed 12 May 2023 by Governor Henry D. McMaster (Republican) [re: resignation of Comptroller General Richard A. Eckstrom]. As this was a recess appointment, he will serve until such time as the General Assembly shall elect a successor.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026
 Candidate list (1)
  Candidate Republican     Kirkman Finlay, III
 23 March 2023: Comptroller General Richard A. Eckstrom, who was first elected in 2002; re-elected in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022, announced his resignation effective 30 April 2023 following a $3.5 billion error in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. The state legislature will elect a replacement to fill the remainder of the 4 year term which ends in January 2027.

Commissioner of Agriculture  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Republican Agriculture Commissioner Hugh E. Weathers
Named Interim Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of South Carolina on 14 September 2004 by Governor Mark Sanford upon the suspension of Republican Agriculture Commissioner Charles "Charlie" Sharpe; first elected: 2006; re-elected: 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026

Superintendent of Education  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

  Republican Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver
First elected: 2022.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2026
 

Political Parties    Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.

Major Parties   Those parties which received electoral votes through winning a plurality of a state's [or the District of Columbia's] popular vote in any presidential election between 1984 and 2016. See Classification of Political parties.
  Democratic (affiliates): 2 incumbents, 7 candidates
  Republican: 15 incumbents, 12 candidates
Independents
  Independent: 2 candidates
  Nonpartisan: 1 candidate
 
Candidates running under the banner of more than one party are counted towards each party's total. A candidate who has lost a primary or is apparently no longer a candidate is not counted.

Notes

Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from a legal election authority that the person has been officially certified to appear on the ballot.

Primary dates marked "presumably" and polling times marked "reportedly" are based on unofficial or estimated data (especially as regards local variations from a jurisdictionwide statutory and/or regulatory standard) and are, thereby, subject to change.

"FEC" indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary.

When available, we post each candidate's FEC identification number, the date of their most recently filed Report of Receipts and Disbursements, their "Tot" [Total Receipts (contributions received or what came in: FEC Form 3, Line 16, Column B)] and their "Dsb" [Total Disbursements (expenditures or what was spent: FEC Form 3, Line 23, Column B)]. A link is provided to the Federal Election Commission's Summary Report for those who might wish to explore the details.

If a candidate raises or spends $5,000 or less, he or she is not subject to FEC reporting requirements.


 


  2023 General Election Home  
 
  Gubernatorial Popular Vote by Party  
  Close Contests Summary - Decision by 2% or less  
  Contests Where No Candidate Received a Majority  
 
2023 Primaries and Runoffs for Statewide offices/Congress
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General Election Poll Closing Times (with time zones)
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  Senators by 'Class'  
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  Gubernatorial Primaries at a Glance  
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  Open Governor's Chairs, Senate and House Seats (the incumbent is not running for re-election)  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with no incumbent running for them  
  Uncontested Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats (one candidate running for office)  
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  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with only one major party candidate running for office  
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  2023 Partisan Composition by State  
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  Political Parties  
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  Senate Electoral Classes  
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  Comparative Political Party Predominance in each State, 2000 thru 2016  
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History
  Political Party Floor Leaders in the Congress of the United States  
  Dates of DIRECT PRIMARY Elections re: Major Party Nominations for Statewide and/or Federal Office  
  Length of Terms of Office of STATE Governors throughout American History  
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