The Green Papers: South Carolina 2020 General Election
 
This page is for offices up for election in 2020. Find 2021 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 9 June 2020
✓ Runoff (no elections covered by this website have runoffs): Tuesday 23 June 2020
✓ General Election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Monday 30 March 2020 - Filing Deadline - Primary/Third/Minor .
Tuesday 9 June 2020 - Primary . Polling hours 7:00a-7:00p EDT (1100-2300 UTC).
Tuesday 23 June 2020 - Runoff (no elections covered by this website have runoffs) . Polling hours 7:00a-7:00p EDT (1100-2300 UTC).
Monday 20 July 2020 - Filing Deadline - Independent/President .
Tuesday 3 November 2020 - 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 2020 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]


circa 16 July 2020: Due to COVID-19, the Independent petition deadline has been changed from 15 to 20 July. [S.C. Code of Laws Section 7-13-351]

The Alliance (18 April), Constitution (18 April), Green, Independence, Labor, Libertarian (13 June), United Citizens, and Working Families Parties may nominate by convention.


Party Order On Ballots from the South Carolina State Election Commission.

2020 Election Calendar from the South Carolina State Election Commission.

Candidate Tracking from the South Carolina State Election Commission.

Primary returns from the South Carolina State Election Commission;
results from a media source.

Primary returns from a media source.


General Election Candidate Listing from the South Carolina State Election Commission.

3 November 2020 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 2020
 Candidate list (5)
  Elected Republican 1,385,103 55.11% President Donald John Trump
for Vice President: Vice President Michael R. "Mike" Pence
(9 Electoral Votes)
FEC P80001571; 23 Nov 20; Tot $717,303,371; Dsb $718,174,436
  Candidate Democratic 1,091,541 43.43% former Vice President Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.
for Vice President: California Senator Kamala D. Harris
FEC P80000722; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,064,613,463; Dsb $1,063,053,521
  Candidate Libertarian 27,916 1.11% Jo Jorgensen
for Vice President: Jeremy "Spike" Cohen
FEC P00013524; 23 Nov 20; Tot $3,405,357; Dsb $3,373,521
  Candidate Green 6,907 0.27% Howie Gresham Hawkins
for Vice President: Angela Nichole Walker
FEC P00012211; 23 Nov 20; Tot $495,566; Dsb $476,095
  Candidate Alliance Party 1,862 0.07% Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente, Jr.
for Vice President: Darcy G. Richardson
FEC P60016342; 23 Nov 20; Tot $14,220,189; Dsb $14,208,041
Total 2,513,329 100.00%  

U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 116th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes

Class 2
Seat up for regular election
Republican Senator Lindsey Olin Graham
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2008, 2014
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in)
  Elected Republican 1,369,137 54.44% Senator Lindsey Olin Graham
FEC S0SC00149; 23 Nov 20; Tot $104,759,711; Dsb $97,803,502
  Candidate Democratic 1,110,828 44.17% Jaime Harrison
FEC S0SC00289; 23 Nov 20; Tot $132,678,083; Dsb $131,836,927
  Candidate Constitution 32,845 1.31% William David "Bill" Bledsoe
Withdrew, remains on the ballot.

FEC S6SC04155; 30 Sep 20; Tot $0; Dsb $0
  Candidate Scattering 2,294 0.09% Write-In
Total 2,515,104 100.00%  

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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms, All Governors

  Republican Governor Henry D. 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.
Chair up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022
The current Governor is unaffected by the State's term limit.
 Candidate list (2)
  Candidate Republican     Peggy Kandies
  Candidate Republican     Governor Henry D. McMaster

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

  Republican Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

116th U.S. House of Representatives  2-year term. Election Cycle 2020, 2021. No Term Limit. 116th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
2 Democratic (2 Renominated);
5 Republican (5 Renominated)

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 1
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Member of Congress Joseph Kendrick "Joe" Cunningham
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 216,042 50.58% state Representative Nancy R. Mace
FEC H0SC01394; 31 Dec 20; Tot $5,865,893; Dsb $5,787,219
  Candidate Democratic 210,627 49.31% Member of Congress Joseph Kendrick "Joe" Cunningham
FEC H8SC01116; 23 Nov 20; Tot $7,076,228; Dsb $7,107,587
  Candidate Scattering 442 0.10% Write-In
Total 427,111 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 2
Seat up for regular election
Republican Member of Congress Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson, Sr.
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
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 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 202,715 55.66% Member of Congress Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson, Sr.
FEC H2SC02059; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,680,189; Dsb $1,687,249
  Candidate Democratic 155,118 42.59% Adair Ford Boroughs
FEC H0SC02061; 23 Nov 20; Tot $2,537,930; Dsb $2,509,048
  Candidate Constitution 6,163 1.69% Kathleen K. Wright
FEC H0SC02103
  Candidate Scattering 219 0.06% Write-In
Total 364,215 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 3
Seat up for regular election
Republican Member of Congress Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2010
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 237,544 71.21% Member of Congress Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan
FEC H0SC03077; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,519,297; Dsb $1,245,434
  Candidate Democratic 95,712 28.69% Hosea N. Cleveland
FEC H4SC03111; 22 Oct 20; Tot $38,735; Dsb $37,189
  Candidate Scattering 308 0.09% Write-In
Total 333,564 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 4
Seat up for regular election
Republican Member of Congress William Richardson Timmons, IV
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2018
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 222,126 61.61% Member of Congress William Richardson Timmons, IV
FEC H8SC04250; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,359,335; Dsb $1,351,959
  Candidate Democratic 133,023 36.89% Kimberly "Kim" Nelson
FEC H0SC04281; 23 Nov 20; Tot $168,860; Dsb $166,739
  Candidate Constitution 5,090 1.41% Michael G. Chandler
FEC H2SC04121
  Candidate Scattering 311 0.09% Write-In
Total 360,550 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 5
Seat up for regular election
Republican Member of Congress Ralph W. Norman, Jr.
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
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 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 220,006 60.07% Member of Congress Ralph W. Norman, Jr.
FEC H8SC05158; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,041,019; Dsb $866,599
  Candidate Democratic 145,979 39.86% Mauricus "Moe" Brown
FEC H0SC05056; 31 Dec 20; Tot $487,659; Dsb $484,305
  Candidate Scattering 273 0.07% Write-In
Total 366,258 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 6
Seat up for regular election
Democratic Member of Congress James Enos "Jim" Clyburn
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 1992
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (3, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Democratic 197,477 68.18% Member of Congress James Enos "Jim" Clyburn
FEC H2SC02042; 23 Nov 20; Tot $3,439,180; Dsb $2,272,003
  Candidate Republican 89,258 30.82% John David McCollum
FEC H0SC06237
  Candidate Constitution 2,646 0.91% Mark Hackett
FEC H0SC06245
  Candidate Scattering 272 0.09% Write-In
Total 289,653 100.00%  

Incumbent - 116th Congress
CD 7
Seat up for regular election
Republican Member of Congress Hugh Thompson "Tom" Rice, Jr.
• Re-elected Tuesday 3 November 2020
First elected: 2012
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 3 November 2020
Renominated
 Candidate list (2, 1 write-in) - 117th Congress
  Elected Republican 224,993 61.80% Member of Congress Hugh Thompson "Tom" Rice, Jr.
FEC H2SC07066; 23 Nov 20; Tot $1,415,216; Dsb $1,198,506
  Candidate Democratic 138,863 38.14% Melissa Ward Watson
FEC H0SC07029; 23 Nov 20; Tot $150,297; Dsb $148,918
  Candidate Scattering 235 0.06% Write-In
Total 364,091 100.00%  

Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  Republican Secretary of State John Mark "Mark" Hammond
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  Republican Attorney General Michael Alan "Alan" Wilson
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  Republican Treasurer Curtis M. "Curt" Loftis, Jr.
First elected: 2010; re-elected: 2014, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Comptroller General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  Republican Comptroller General Richard A. Eckstrom
First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Commissioner of Agriculture  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  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.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022

Superintendent of Education  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2018, 2022

  Republican Education Superintendent Molly Mitchell Spearman
First elected: 2014; re-elected: 2018.
Seat up for regular election: Tuesday 8 November 2022
 

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, 9 candidates
  Republican: 15 incumbents, 11 candidates
Major Third Parties   Any Party, other than a Major Party, receiving a minimum of 15/100ths of 1 percent of the nationwide popular vote in any presidential election between 1984 and 2016. See Classification of Political parties.
  Constitution (affiliates): 4 candidates
  Green (affiliates): 1 candidate
  Libertarian: 1 candidate
Other Third Parties
  Alliance Party (affiliates): 1 candidate
  American
  Labor
  Unity
  Working Families
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
  Scattering: 8 candidates
 
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.


Links Links to other web sites

Constitution   Links to State Constitutions
  South Carolina Constitution
Election Authority
  South Carolina State Election Commission
Legislature   Links to State Legislatures
  South Carolina Legislature
Democratic
  South Carolina Democratic Party
  South Carolina House Democratic Caucus
  South Carolina Senate Democratic Caucus
Republican
  South Carolina Republican Party
  The South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus
Third Party
  Alliance Party formerly called The American Party of South Carolina
  Labor Party
  South Carolina Green Party
  South Carolina Workers Party
  South Carolina Working Families Party
  The Constitution Party of South Carolina
  The Unity Party of South Carolina
Media & others
  FITSNews - Sic Willie
  Greenville Magazine
  Lexington County Chronicle
  Politics1.com - South Carolina
  South Carolina Citizens for Life (SCCL is a non-partisan, non-sectarian pro-life organization and is the state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee)
  Statehouse Report - Charleston
  The Item - Sumter
  The Lancaster News
  The News & Reporter - Chester County
  The Post and Courier - Charleston
  The Times and Democrat - Orangeburg
  The Union Daily Times
  WCIV TV - ABC - Mount Pleasant
  WCSC TV - CBS - Charleston
  WIS TV - NBC - Columbia
  WLTX TV - CBS - Columbia

 


  2020 General Election Home  
 
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