South Carolina gubernatorial elections

Elections in South Carolina

Federal government

|  U.S. President

* 1788-89
* 1792
* 1796
* 1800
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* Rep
* 2004
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* 2008
* Dem
* Rep
* 2012
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* Dem
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* Dem
* 2024
* Dem
* Rep

U.S. Senate

* 1897
* sp 1898
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* sp 1966
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* 1978
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U.S. House of Representatives

* 1788
* 1790
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* 1798
* 1800
* 1803
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* 1848
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* 1853
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* 1860
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* 1876
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* 1880
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* 1886
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* 1894
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* 1900
* 7th 1901
* 1902
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* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 4th 1915
* 1916
* 1918
* 6th 1919
* 7th 1919
* 1920
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* 1926
* 1928
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* 1932
* 1934
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* 1944
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* 4th 1953
* 1954
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* 1st 1971
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* 1st 2013
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* 5th 2017
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* List of specials

State offices

|  General elections

* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

Gubernatorial elections

* 1865
* 1868
* 1870
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1930
* 1934
* 1938
* 1942
* 1946
* 1950
* 1954
* 1958
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

State Senate elections

* 2008
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

State House elections

* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

Ballot measures

* 2006
* Amendment 1
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014

* v
* t
* e

Prior to 1865, the Governor of South Carolina was chosen by the General Assembly. The Constitution of South Carolina provided for the voters of South Carolina to choose the governor; James Lawrence Orr was the first elected governor of South Carolina. The following is a list of gubernatorial election results for the state of South Carolina:

## Results[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Minority  | County Map

|
|
|

1865 | James Lawrence Orr
No party
9,928
51.9%  | Wade Hampton III
No party
9,186
48.1%  |
1868 | Robert Kingston Scott
Republican
69,693
75.1%  | William D. Porter
Democrat
23,057
24.9%  |
1870 | Robert Kingston Scott
Republican
85,071
62.3%  | Richard B. Carpenter
Union Reform
51,537
37.7%  | Red counties were won by Scott and magenta counties were won by Carpenter
1872 | Franklin J. Moses, Jr.
Republican
69,838
65.4%  | Reuben Tomlinson
Independent Republican
36,533
34.3%  | Red counties were won by Moses and magenta counties were won by Tomlinson
1874 | Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Republican
80,403
53.9%  | John T. Green
Independent Republican
68,818
46.1%  | Red counties were won by Chamberlain and magenta counties were won by Green
1876 | Wade Hampton III
Democrat
92,261
50.3%  | Daniel Henry Chamberlain
Republican
91,127
49.7%  | Blue counties were won by Hampton and red counties were won by Chamberlain
1878 | Wade Hampton III
Democrat
119,550
99.8%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Hampton
1880 | Johnson Hagood
Democrat
117,432
96.4%  | L.W.R. Blair
Greenback-Labor
4,277
3.5%  | Blue counties were won by Hagood
1882 | Hugh Smith Thompson
Democrat
67,158
79.0%  | J. Hendrix McLane
Greenback-Labor
17,719
20.8%  | Blue counties were won by Thompson and green counties were won by McLane
1884 | Hugh Smith Thompson
Democrat
67,895
100%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Thompson
1886 | John Peter Richardson III
Democrat
33,114
99.9%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Richardson
1888 | John Peter Richardson III
Democrat
58,730
100%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Richardson
1890 | Ben Tillman
Democrat
59,159
79.8%  | Alexander Cheves Haskell
Straightout Democrat
14,828
20.0%  | Blue counties were won by Tillman and cyan counties were won by Haskell
1892 | Ben Tillman
Democrat
56,673
99.9%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Tillman
1894 | John Gary Evans
Democrat
39,507
69.6%  | Sampson Pope
Independent
17,278
30.4%  | Blue counties were won by Evans and magenta counties were won by Pope
1896 | William Haselden Ellerbe
Democrat
59,424
89.1%  | Sampson Pope
Reorganized Republican
4,432
6.6%  | Blue counties were won by Ellerbe
1898 | William Haselden Ellerbe
Democrat
28,225
100%  | Unopposed |
1900 | Miles Benjamin McSweeney
Democrat
46,457
100%  | Unopposed |
1902 | Duncan Clinch Heyward
Democrat
31,817
100%  | Unopposed |
1904 | Duncan Clinch Heyward
Democrat
51,917
100%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Heyward
1906 | Martin Frederick Ansel
Democrat
30,251
100%  | Unopposed | Blue counties were won by Ansel
1908 | Martin Frederick Ansel
Democrat
61,060
100%  | Unopposed |
1910 | Coleman Livingston Blease
Democrat
30,739
100%  | Unopposed |
1912 | Coleman Livingston Blease
Democrat
44,122
99.5%  | R.B. Britton
Socialist
208
0.5%  |
1914 | Richard Irvine Manning III
Democrat
34,606
99.8%  | R.B. Britton
Socialist

0.2%  |
1916 | Richard Irvine Manning III
Democrat
60,405
97.9%  | Coleman Livingston Blease
Independent
1,089
1.8%  |
1918 | Robert Archer Cooper
Democrat
25,267
100%  | Unopposed |
1920 | Robert Archer Cooper
Democrat
58,050
100%  | Unopposed |
1922 | Thomas Gordon McLeod
Democrat
34,065
100%  | Unopposed |
1924 | Thomas Gordon McLeod
Democrat
53,545
100%  | Unopposed |
1926 | John Gardiner Richards, Jr.
Democrat
16,589
100%  | Unopposed |
1930 | Ibra Charles Blackwood
Democrat
17,790
100%  | Unopposed |
1934 | Olin D. Johnston
Democrat
22,873
100%  | Unopposed |
1938 | Burnet Rhett Maybank
Democrat
49,009
99.4%  | Joseph Augustis Tolbert
Republican
283
0.6%  |
1942 | Olin D. Johnston
Democrat
23,859
100%  | Unopposed |
1946 | Strom Thurmond
Democrat
26,520
100%  | Unopposed |
1950 | James F. Byrnes
Democrat
50,633
100%  | Unopposed |
1954 | George Bell Timmerman, Jr.
Democrat
214,204
100%  | Unopposed |
1958 | Ernest Hollings
Democrat
77,714
100%  | Unopposed |
1962 | Donald Stuart Russell
Democrat
253,704
100%  | Unopposed |
1966 | Robert Evander McNair
Democrat
255,854
58.2%  | Joseph O. Rogers, Jr.
Republican
184,088
41.8%  | Blue counties were won by McNair and red counties were won by Rogers
1970 | John Carl West
Democrat
251,151
52.1%  | Albert Watson
Republican
221,236
45.9%  | Blue counties were won by West and red counties were won by Watson
1974 | James Burrows Edwards
Republican
266,338
50.3%  | W.J. Bryan Dorn
Democrat
248,861
47.0%  | Red counties were won by Edwards and blue counties were won by Dorn
1978 | Richard Riley
Democrat
384,898
61.3%  | Edward Lunn Young
Republican
236,946
37.7%  | Blue counties were won by Riley and red counties were won by Young
1982 | Richard Riley
Democrat
468,787
69.8%  | W. D. Workman, Jr.
Republican
202,806
30.2%  | Blue counties were won by Riley
1986 | Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
Republican
384,565
51.0%  | Michael R. Daniel
Democrat
361,328
47.9%  | Red counties were won by Campbell and blue counties were won by Daniel
1990 | Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
Republican
528,831
69.5%  | Theo Mitchell
Democrat
212,048
27.8%  | Red counties were won by Campbell and blue counties were won by Mitchell
1994 | David Beasley
Republican
470,756
50.4%  | Nick Theodore
Democrat
447,002
47.9%  | Red counties were won by Beasley and blue counties were won by Theodore
1998 | Jim Hodges
Democrat
570,070
53.3%  | David Beasley
Republican
484,088
45.3%  | Blue counties were won by Hodges and red counties were won by Beasley
2002 | Mark Sanford
Republican
585,422
52.9%  | Jim Hodges
Democrat
521,140
47.0%  | Red counties were won by Sanford and blue counties were won by Hodges
2006 | Mark Sanford
Republican
601,868
55.1%  | Tommy Moore
Democrat
489,076
44.8%  | Red counties were won by Sanford and blue counties were won by Moore
2010 | Nikki Haley
Republican
674,103
51.4%  | Vincent Sheheen
Democrat
617,427
47.1%  | Red counties were won by Haley and blue counties were won by Sheheen
2014 | Nikki Haley
Republican
696,645
55.9%  | Vincent Sheheen
Democrat
516,166
41.4%  |
2018 | Henry McMaster
Republican
921,324
54.0%  | James Smith
Democrat
784,182
45.9%  |
2022 | Henry McMaster
Republican
988,501
58.1%  | Joe Cunningham
Democrat
692,691
40.7%  |

## Statistics[edit]

### Firsts[edit]

* The gubernatorial election of 1865 was the first gubernatorial election of South Carolina.
* The gubernatorial election of 1896 was the first gubernatorial election that featured the use of a primary election.
* The gubernatorial election of 1898 was the first gubernatorial election that featured the use of a runoff election.

### Votes[edit]

* There have been 51 gubernatorial elections in South Carolina.
* Democrats have won 40 of the 47 (85%) elections that they nominated a candidate.
* Republicans have won 10 of the 18 (56%) elections that they nominated a candidate.
* James Lawrence Orr won with the smallest margin of victory in the gubernatorial election of 1865: 743.
* The gubernatorial election of 1926 had the lowest vote: 16,589.
* The gubernatorial election of 2018 had the largest vote: 1,705,506.

### Unique politicians[edit]

* Only three governors have been defeated for reelection: Daniel Henry Chamberlain in 1876, David Beasley in 1998 and Jim Hodges in 2002.
* Coleman Livingston Blease has made the most attempts for governor (8): 1906, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1916, 1922, 1934 and 1938. He was successful in 1910 and 1912.

## See also[edit]

* Governor of South Carolina
* List of governors of South Carolina

## External links[edit]

* SCIway List of South Carolina Governors in Chronological Order

* v
* t
* e

Elections in South Carolina

General|

* 1900
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1946
* 1949
* 1950
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1976
* 1980
* 1988
* 1992
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

State Senate|

* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020

State House|

* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

Governor|

* 1865
* 1868
* 1870
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 1894
* 1896
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1904
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1914
* 1916
* 1918
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1930
* 1934
* 1938
* 1942
* 1946
* 1950
* 1954
* 1958
* 1962
* 1966
* 1970
* 1974
* 1978
* 1982
* 1986
* 1990
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

U.S. President|

* 1788-89
* 1792
* 1796
* 1800
* 1804
* 1808
* 1812
* 1816
* 1820
* 1824
* 1828
* 1832
* 1836
* 1840
* 1844
* 1848
* 1852
* 1856
* 1860
* 1868
* 1872
* 1876
* 1880
* 1884
* 1888
* 1892
* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1916
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1940
* 1944
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020

U.S. Senate|

* Class 2: 1789
* 1793
* 1796 (special)
* 1798 (special)
* 1799
* 1801 (special)
* 1810 (special)
* 1810
* 1816 (special)
* 1822
* 1828
* 1832 (special)
* 1834
* 1840
* 1845 (special)
* 1846
* 1850 (special)
* 1852
* 1858 (special)
* 1868
* 1870
* 1876
* 1882
* 1888
* 1894
* 1900
* 1906
* 1912
* 1918 (special)
* 1918
* 1924
* 1930
* 1936
* 1941 (special)
* 1942
* 1948
* 1954
* 1956 (special)
* 1960
* 1966
* 1972
* 1978
* 1984
* 1990
* 1996
* 2002
* 2008
* 2014
* 2020
Class 3: 1789
* 1794/95
* 1800
* 1802 (special)
* 1804 (special)
* 1806
* 1812
* 1818
* 1824
* 1826 (special)
* 1830
* 1833 (special)
* 1837
* 1842 (special)
* 1848
* 1854
* 1857 (special)
* 1868 (special)
* 1872
* 1878
* 1884
* 1890
* 1897
* 1898 (special)
* 1903
* 1909
* 1914
* 1920
* 1926
* 1932
* 1938
* 1944
* 1950
* 1956
* 1962
* 1966 (special)
* 1968
* 1974
* 1980
* 1986
* 1992
* 1998
* 2004
* 2010
* 2014 (special)
* 2016
* 2022

U.S. House|

* 1788
* 1790
* 1793
* 1794
* 5th sp
* 1795
* 2nd sp
* 1796
* 1797
* 1st sp
* 1798
* 1800
* 1802
* 4th sp
* 1803
* 1804
* 1805
* 8th sp
* 1806
* 1807
* 6th sp
* 1808
* 1810
* 1st sp
* 1810
* 1812
* 1814
* 1816
* 9th sp
* 1818
* 6th sp
* 1820
* 1821
* 9th sp
* 1822
* 2nd sp
* 4th sp
* 9th sp
* 1823
* 1824
* 1825
* 1st sp
* 1826
* 1828
* 1830
* 1833
* 1834
* 8th sp
* 1836
* 4th sp
* 8th sp
* 1838
* 1840
* 1843
* 1844
* 1846
* 1848
* 1st sp
* 1850
* 1853
* 1854
* 1856
* 1858
* 1860
* 1868
* 1870
* 1st sp
* 1872
* 1874
* 1876
* 2nd sp
* 1878
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 7th sp
* 1886
* 1888
* 1890
* 1892
* 6th sp
* 1894
* 1st sp
* 4th sp
* 1896
* 7th sp
* 1897
* 6th sp
* 1898
* 1900
* 1901
* 7th sp
* 1902
* 1904
* 2nd sp
* 1906
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1913
* 1st sp
* 1914
* 1915
* 4th sp
* 1916
* 1917
* 5th sp
* 1918
* 1919
* 6th sp
* 7th sp
* 1920
* 1922
* 1924
* 1926
* 1928
* 1930
* 1932
* 1934
* 1936
* 1938
* 6th sp
* 1940
* 1942
* 1944
* 2nd sp
* 1946
* 1948
* 1950
* 1952
* 1953
* 4th sp
* 1954
* 1956
* 1958
* 1960
* 1962
* 2nd sp
* 1964
* 1965
* 2nd sp
* 1966
* 1968
* 1970
* 1971
* 1st sp
* 1972
* 1974
* 1976
* 1978
* 1980
* 1982
* 1984
* 1986
* 1988
* 1990
* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2001
* 2nd sp
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2013
* 1st sp
* 2014
* 2016
* 2017
* 5th sp
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022
* Special

See also: Political party strength in South Carolina

* v
* t
* e

Governors of South Carolina

* J. Rutledge
* Lowndes
* J. Rutledge
* Mathews
* Guerard
* Moultrie
* T. Pinckney
* C. Pinckney
* Moultrie
* Vanderhorst
* C. Pinckney
* E. Rutledge
* Drayton
* J. Richardson
* P. Hamilton
* C. Pinckney
* Drayton
* Middleton
* Alston
* D. Williams
* A. Pickens
* Geddes
* Bennett
* Wilson
* Manning I
* Taylor
* Miller
* J. Hamilton
* Hayne
* McDuffie
* Butler
* Noble
* Henagan
* Richardson II
* Hammond
* Aiken
* Johnson
* Seabrook
* Means
* J. Manning
* Adams
* Allston
* Gist
* F. Pickens
* Bonham
* Magrath
* Perry
* Orr
* Scott
* Moses
* Chamberlain
* Hampton
* Simpson
* Jeter
* Hagood
* Thompson
* Sheppard
* Richardson III
* Tillman
* Evans
* Ellerbe
* McSweeney
* Heyward
* Ansel
* Blease
* Smith
* Manning III
* Cooper
* Harvey
* McLeod
* Richards
* Blackwood
* Johnston
* Maybank
* Harley
* Jefferies
* Johnston
* R. Williams
* Thurmond
* Byrnes
* Timmerman
* Hollings
* Russell
* McNair
* West
* Edwards
* Riley
* Campbell
* Beasley
* Hodges
* Sanford
* Haley
* McMaster

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