The Green Papers: South Carolina 2016 General Election
 
This page is for offices up for election in 2016. Find 2017 elections here.

Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ South Carolina
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
✓ Primary: Tuesday 14 June 2016
✓ Runoff (no contests covered by this website proceed to runoffs): Tuesday 28 June 2016
✓ General Election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Tuesday 14 June 2016 - Primary . Polling hours 7:00a-7:00p EDT (1100-2300 UTC).
Tuesday 28 June 2016 - Runoff (no contests covered by this website proceed to runoffs) . Polling hours 7:00a-7:00p EDT (1100-2300 UTC).
Tuesday 8 November 2016 - General Election . Polling hours 7:00a-7:00p EST (1200-0000 UTC).
 
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
Governor:1 
2010 Census:4,645,975 (1.50% of 309,785,186)
2012, 2016, 2020 Electoral Votes:9(1.67% of 538)
2012-2020 Representatives:7(1.61% of 435)
Capital:Columbia
 

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South Carolina State and Local Government

South Carolina 2016 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.

Voters may not vote in a political party's runoff if they voted in another political party's primary. However, voters who did not vote in either politicial party's primary may vote in either politicial party’s runoff.

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.


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


2016 Election Calendar from the South Carolina Election Commission.
Candidate Listing for the 6/14/2016 Statewide Primary from the South Carolina Election Commission.
Statewide 6/28/16 Primary Runoffs from the South Carolina Election Commission.
Candidate Listing for the 11/8/2016 Statewide General Election from the South Carolina Election Commission.

14 June 2016 Primary results from
Returns from the South Carolina State Election Commission.
AP
Politico.

28 June runoff results from
Returns from the South Carolina State Election Commission.
AP
Politico.


8 November 2016 returns from the South Carolina State Election Commission.

 
           

President  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2020, 2024. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime. Electors: 9 (Winner-take-all), How Appointed, Meeting Place, Duly Appointed Presidential Electors, List of Presidential Candidates by State, List of Presidential Candidates.
Up for election in 2016
 Candidate list (7)
  Elected Republican 1,155,389 54.94% Donald John Trump, Sr.
for Vice President: Indiana Governor Michael R. "Mike" Pence
(9 Electoral Votes)
FEC P80001571; 28 Nov 16; Tot $341,062,859; Dsb $333,457,857
  Candidate Democratic 855,373 40.67% former Secretary of State Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton
for Vice President: Virginia Senator Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine
FEC P00003392; 28 Nov 16; Tot $583,217,328; Dsb $582,378,679
  Candidate Libertarian 49,204 2.34% former Governor New Mexico Gary Earl Johnson
for Vice President: former Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts William F. "Bill" Weld
FEC P20002671; 28 Nov 16; Tot $11,670,597; Dsb $11,505,633
  Candidate Independence 21,016 1.00% David Evan "Evan" McMullin
for Vice President: Nathan Daniel Johnson
FEC P60022654; 28 Nov 16; Tot $1,634,839; Dsb $1,618,074
  Candidate Green 13,034 0.62% Jill E. Stein
for Vice President: Ajamu Baraka
FEC P20003984; 28 Nov 16; Tot $9,485,845; Dsb $5,315,546
  Candidate Constitution 5,765 0.27% Darrell Lane Castle
for Vice President: Scott N. Bradley
FEC P60021102; 28 Nov 16; Tot $71,876; Dsb $67,084
  Candidate American 3,246 0.15% Peter Alan Skewes
for Vice President: Michael Lacy
FEC P60012960; 13 Nov 16; Tot $8,216; Dsb $8,216
Total 2,103,027 100.00%  

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 114th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

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

Class 3
Seat up for regular election
Republican Senator Timothy E. "Tim" Scott
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
Appointed: 2 January 2013 (re: resignation of Senator James W. "Jim" DeMint [Republican]). First elected in a special election: 4 November 2014.
(also served in U.S. House- first elected: 2010; re-elected: 2012)
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (4, 2 write-ins)
  Elected Republican 1,241,609 60.57% Senator Timothy E. "Tim" Scott
FEC S4SC00240; 28 Nov 16; Tot $6,158,529; Dsb $4,597,452
  Candidate Democratic; Green; Working Families 757,022 36.93% Thomas Alan Dixon
FEC S6SC04148; 28 Nov 16; Tot $40,236; Dsb $39,435
  Candidate Constitution; Libertarian 37,482 1.83% William David "Bill" Bledsoe
FEC S6SC04155; 08 Nov 16; Tot $2,180; Dsb $2,105
  Candidate American 11,923 0.58% Michael "Rebel" "Mike" Scarborough
FEC S6SC04171
  Candidate Scattering 1,857 0.09% Write-In
  Candidate Write-in     Thomas Baxter "Tom" Wells
The God Party

FEC S6SC04130
Total 2,049,893 100.00%  

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms, All Governors

  Republican Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014
Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
The current Governor is affected by a term limit and cannot run for re-election.
Open Chair
 Candidate list (2)
  Candidate Republican     former Democratic Lieutenant Governor and state Senator J. Yancey McGill
21 March 2016: Announced candidacy as a Republican.
  Candidate Republican     state Representative Thomas E. "Tommy" Pope
 

23 November 2016: President-elect Trump nominates Governor Nikki Haley for the position of United Nations Ambassador.


Lieutenant Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018. (Beginning in 2018, the Lieutenant Governor will be elected on same ticket with the Governor.)

  Republican Lieutenant Governor Henry D. McMaster
First elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

114th U.S. House of Representatives  2-year term. Election Cycle 2016, 2018. No Term Limit. 114th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
6 Republican (6 Renominated);
1 Democratic (1 Renominated)

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 1
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford, Jr.
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 1994, re-elected: 1996, 1998. Governor of South Carolina: 2003-2011. Re-elected to Congress: 7 May 2013 in a Special Election (to fill the vacant seat caused by the appointment of Congressman Timothy E. "Tim" Scott to the U.S. Senate).
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (4, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 190,410 58.56% Congressman Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford, Jr.
FEC H4SC01073; 28 Nov 16; Tot $736,699; Dsb $157,886
  Candidate Democratic; Green; Working Families 119,779 36.84% Dimitri Cherny
FEC H4SC01271; 28 Nov 16; Tot $27,562; Dsb $26,239
  Candidate Libertarian 11,614 3.57% Michael Grier, Jr.
FEC H6SC01177
  Candidate American 2,774 0.85% Albert "Al" Travison
FEC H6SC01185
  Candidate Scattering 593 0.18% Write-In
Total 325,170 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 2
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
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 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 183,746 60.25% Congressman Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson
FEC H2SC02059; 28 Nov 16; Tot $1,144,436; Dsb $703,887
  Candidate Democratic; Green 109,452 35.89% Arik Bjorn
FEC H6SC02100; 28 Nov 16; Tot $67,526; Dsb $67,428
  Candidate American 11,444 3.75% Eddie McCain
FEC H0SC02053
  Candidate Scattering 354 0.12% Write-In
Total 304,996 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 3
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 2010
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 196,325 72.84% Congressman Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
FEC H0SC03077; 28 Nov 16; Tot $614,248; Dsb $701,941
  Candidate Democratic 72,933 27.06% Hosea N. Cleveland
FEC H4SC03111; 28 Nov 16; Tot $10,305; Dsb $8,752
  Candidate Scattering 282 0.10% Write-In
Total 269,540 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 4
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Harold W. "Trey" Gowdy, III
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 2010
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 198,648 67.19% Congressman Harold W. "Trey" Gowdy, III
FEC H0SC04257; 28 Nov 16; Tot $1,898,388; Dsb $1,576,448
  Candidate Democratic 91,676 31.01% Christopher "Chris" Fedalei
FEC H6SC04163; 28 Nov 16; Tot $100,747; Dsb $100,012
  Candidate Constitution 5,103 1.73% Michael Chandler
FEC H2SC04121
  Candidate Scattering 243 0.08% Write-In
Total 295,670 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 5
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 2010
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 161,669 59.22% Congressman John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney
FEC H0SC05031; 28 Nov 16; Tot $1,271,115; Dsb $1,281,867
  Candidate Democratic 105,772 38.74% Francis J. "Fran" Person
FEC H6SC05129; 28 Nov 16; Tot $706,808; Dsb $694,659
  Candidate American 5,388 1.97% Rudolph C. "Rudy" Barnes, Jr.
FEC H6SC05137
  Candidate Scattering 177 0.06% Write-In
Total 273,006 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 6
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Congressman James Enos "Jim" Clyburn
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 1992
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (4, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Democratic 177,947 70.09% Congressman James Enos "Jim" Clyburn
FEC H2SC02042; 28 Nov 16; Tot $2,176,356; Dsb $2,140,247
  Candidate Republican 70,099 27.61% Laura Marie Sterling
FEC H6SC06119
  Candidate Libertarian 3,131 1.23% Rick Piotrowski
FEC H6SC06127
  Candidate Green 2,499 0.98% Prince Charles Mallory
FEC H6SC06135
  Candidate Scattering 225 0.09% Write-In
Total 253,901 100.00%  

Incumbent - 114th Congress
CD 7
Seat up for regular election
Republican Congressman Hugh T. "Tom" Rice, Jr.
• Re-elected Tuesday 8 November 2016
First elected: 2012
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2016
Renominated - 14 June 2016 Primary
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 115th Congress
  Elected Republican 176,468 60.96% Congressman Hugh T. "Tom" Rice, Jr.
FEC H2SC07066; 28 Nov 16; Tot $1,110,297; Dsb $949,915
  Candidate Democratic; Green; Working Families 112,744 38.95% Mal Hyman
FEC H6SC07018; 31 Dec 16; Tot $95,568; Dsb $95,568
  Candidate Scattering 251 0.09% Write-In
Total 289,463 100.00%  

Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  Republican Secretary of State John Mark "Mark" Hammond
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010, 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  Republican Attorney General Michael Alan "Alan" Wilson
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  Republican Treasurer Curtis M. "Curt" Loftis, Jr.
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Comptroller General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  Republican Comptroller General Richard A. Eckstrom
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010, 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Adjutant General  4 year term, Final Election Cycle: 2002. The South Carolina Constitution was amended in 2015 to provide for the appointment of the Adjutant General by the Governor with advice and consent of the State Senate. The Adjutant General is no longer an elected office.

  Republican Adjutant General Robert E. "Bob" Livingston, Jr.
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Commissioner of Agriculture  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  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
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Superintendent of Education  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2014, 2018

  Republican Education Superintendent Molly Mitchell Spearman
First elected: 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 6 November 2018
 

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
  Democratic (affiliates): 1 incumbent, 1 candidate
  Republican: 17 incumbents, 12 candidates
Major Third Parties
  Constitution (affiliates): 2 candidates
  Green (affiliates): 1 candidate
  Libertarian: 3 candidates
Other Third Parties
  American: 5 candidates
  Independence (affiliates): 1 candidate
  Working Families: 1 candidate
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
  Scattering: 8 candidates
  Write-in: 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.


 


  2016 General Election Home  
 
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  2016 Partisan Composition by State  
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  Comparative Political Party Predominance in each State, 2000 thru 2016  
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History
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  Length of Terms of Office of STATE Governors throughout American History  
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  Dates of U.S. Presidential Election "Events": 1789 to present  
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  Complete Constitutional provisions for the election of the President and Vice-President  
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