South Carolina Sets Voter Rules for Senate Special Election

The South Carolina State Election Commission has established the timeline and voter eligibility for a special Republican primary to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11. The commission determined that only voters who participated in the June 9 Republican primary or did not vote at all are eligible to cast ballots on August 11. Those who voted in the June Democratic primary are excluded, as state law prohibits participating in two different party nomination processes for the same office in one election.

Candidate filing opens July 21 and closes July 28, with early voting scheduled for August 5 through August 7. The winner of the primary will face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in the November general election. Meanwhile, Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve as a senate designate through January 2027.

The expedited schedule has drawn scrutiny. Executive Director Conway Belangia acknowledged the timeline conflicts with the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which requires ballots be sent to military and overseas voters 45 days before an election, but stated the commission must move forward due to time constraints. The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the timeline for federal law violations. Additionally, U.S. Representative William Timmons warned that current laws could allow a member of Congress to win both a House and Senate seat simultaneously, potentially creating a House vacancy that could jeopardize Speaker Mike Johnson's ability to retain the speakership in January.