By admin 
South Carolina Democrats dominated headlines with long early primary voting lines, shattering first-day records at the polls. But it was still those picking a Republican governor candidate that drove turnout in the primary elections this year.
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In early voting, Democratic ballots exceeded Republicans ballots cast 188,006 to 131,574. But by the end of election night, over 100,000 more South Carolinians voted in the Republican governor primary than the Democratic primary.
About 56% of ballots cast in the governor elections were for Republican candidates, aligning with trends where statewide GOP candidates win with 10 to 20 points margins. About 44%, or nearly 372,000, were cast for Democratic governor candidates. All results are unofficial until certified.
In recent years, Republicans typically turn out more in June state primaries, according to state Election Commission data. In the 2024 primaries, 72% voted on Republican ballots. Two-thirds of the nearly 562,000 ballots cast in the 2022 primaries were Republican.
The 2020 state primaries had the highest voter turnout for a June election this decade, when about 62% were Republican ballots.
Evan Walker, 34, said he has typically voted in every election since he turned 18.
Voting for local candidates, in addition to statewide candidates, is important to improve the community, Walker said after casting a ballot in Hopkins on Tuesday.
“You can vote for a president, that’s cool, but you got to change the people you can actually walk up to and talk to, or send a letter to, or at least get to their secretary,” Walker said.
He’s somewhat of an outlier among registered voters. Primary turnout elections is often low compared to general elections, typically around or less than 20%. But primary voters have tremendous sway over South Carolina’s next leaders, particularly in a state that consistently elects Republicans.
More than 25% of registered voters, about 855,00 in total, in South Carolina cast a ballot in the June 2026 elections.
Charles Gorman, 75, voted on election day in Richland County. He said the governor and U.S. Senate races were the most important for him to weigh in on.
“I try to determine who I really think is an honest person, who I believe has faith and wants to do the right thing, and it’s not just about being in politics and being in an office,” Gorman said.
Many voters The State interviewed Tuesday said affordability, including high gas and grocery prices, was one of the issues driving them to the polls. Diego Zuluaga sported an “I Voted” sticker at a campaign event for U.S. Senate candidate Annie Andrews. The high school Spanish teacher said he first voted in 2024 after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2020.
He wanted to vote for candidates that could improve affordability in South Carolina. He has lived in Richland County since 2001.
“It’s so so difficult for the average family to make a living right now,” Zuluaga said. “I think South Carolina is ready for a change.”
Early voting turnout broke records
A record-breaking number of people turned out to vote in the primary election early, according to the state Election Commission.
More than 9% of registered voters, about 319,000, cast their ballots early. It’s a record for South Carolina, where early voting was signed into law in 2022. More than 13,000 people cast absentee ballots by election day, according to Election Commission data.
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The beginning of early voting coincided with an attempt to redraw the state’s congressional map to create seven reliably Republican districts. Democratic lawmakers and candidates had encouraged voters to flood the polls early and make it harder to not count ballots in an election underway.
The tactic worked. Republican senators in favor of partisan redistricting for 2026 helped kill a new congressional map intended to oust U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn hours after the polls opened. The record for the first day of primary early voting was broken by noon May 26.
State Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, who opposed middecade redistricting from the start, warned his colleagues in a lengthy floor speech that trying to redraw congressional districts this year would drive more Democratic Party turnout.
“The majority will give credibility to minority voices by trying to crush it,” Massey said May 12.
“Trying to silence a voice is going to result of people wanting to hear that voice,” he continued. “That is especially the case here, where that minority voice consistently represents 40-45% of the electorate.” About 44% of the primary electorate were Democrats this primary.
That first day, about 82% of voters chose a Democratic ballot. More voters selected a ballot for the minority party in all but one county in South Carolina. The divide narrowed over two weeks, but more Democratic ballots, about 60%, were cast early overall. Voters in South Carolina do not register with a party and can choose either ballot when they arrive at their polling location.
While some voters were protesting the middecade redistricting attempt May 26, others said early voting was more convenient for them.
“A lot of people, the elderly, they can’t stand long,” said Samuel Thompson, a lifelong Orangeburg County resident after voting May 26. “If they wait to the last minute, they got to stand in hot heat or whatever, and so it benefits the people, older people, that come out early.”
Early voting turnout remained high throughout the two-week window, even after redistricting was defeated.
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen across the state has been remarkable,” Election Commission executive director Conway Belangia said in a June 1 statement.
In 2024, more than 253,000 people voted early in the presidential primaries. Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and President Donald Trump ran against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
During the state primary elections in 2024, about 120,000 people cast their ballot in the early voting window.
Election Day voting
In all about 855,370 ballots were cast this year, so more than half a million South Carolinians likely voted Tuesday.
Gorman, a Richland County voter, said he didn’t wait in line to vote Election Day, and it was more convenient for him to vote Tuesday. With more polling locations open on Election Day, several voters around the Midlands said they didn’t have to wait in line.
“When I voted early, there’s always pretty long lines down at the main voting office, whereas here [I] was able to get in and out in five minutes,” said Maggie Jones, 24. Jones voted in Richland County on Tuesday evening.
Alexander Coonfield, 18, voted for the first time Tuesday.
“It was pretty cool, just get to bring my opinions to the table, instead of just following by my parents,” Coonfield said. “So it’s cool to voice my own opinions.”
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