South Carolina Records Highest Gubernatorial Voter Turnout in History
South Carolina recorded a historic high of 1,797,335 ballots cast in its 2026 gubernatorial election during statewide contests for governor and U.S. Senate.
The South Carolina State Election Commission reported that the 2026 general election saw the highest number of ballots cast in a gubernatorial election in state history. As of 4:30 p.m. on November 3, 1,797,335 voters participated, surpassing the previous record of 1,726,527 set in 2018. While the raw vote count reached a new peak, the turnout percentage of 52.3% remained below the all-time record of 54.6% established in 2002.
The statewide elections included a race for governor to succeed term-limited Governor Henry McMaster, where Attorney General Alan Wilson held a lead over Democratic State Representative Jermaine Johnson. Simultaneously, a close U.S. Senate contest took place between interim Senator Darline Graham Nordone and Democratic physician Annie Andrews.
The election cycle was further marked by a conservative write-in movement. Activists encouraged voters to write in U.S. Congressman Ralph Norman for the Senate seat instead of Nordone. Total ballots cast across the state approached two million by 6:00 p.m. on election night.
