COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina is seeing an unprecedented surge in voter participation ahead of the 2026 statewide primaries, with early voting numbers already surpassing the entire early voting turnout from 2024 — and doing so in just the first week.
The South Carolina State Election Commission announced Monday that 151,670 voters cast ballots during the first week of early voting, far exceeding the 120,178 voters who participated during the full early voting period in 2024.
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Statewide turnout outpaced 2024 levels every single day:
- May 26: 56,399 (vs. 10,226 in 2024)
- May 27: 34,194 (vs. 10,495 in 2024)
- May 28: 29,338 (vs. 10,599 in 2024)
- May 29: 31,739 (vs. 11,790 in 2024)
Berkeley County Sees One of the Largest Spikes in the State
Berkeley County recorded 7,350 early votes during the first week — a dramatic jump from 1,807 during the same period in 2024. That’s a 307% increase, one of the largest turnout surges among major counties.
Statewide, the top five counties for early voting turnout were:
- Richland County: 18,882 (vs. 2,275 in 2024)
- Charleston County: 13,910 (vs. 2,396 in 2024)
- Greenville County: 11,712 (vs. 4,642 in 2024)
- Horry County: 8,363 (vs. 1,955 in 2024)
- Berkeley County: 7,350 (vs. 1,807 in 2024)
“Extraordinary Voter Engagement”
SEC Executive Director Conway Belangia said the turnout reflects a surge in civic participation across the state.
“The record-breaking turnout we witnessed throughout the first week of early voting demonstrates extraordinary voter engagement across South Carolina,” Belangia said. “The enthusiasm we’ve seen across the state has been remarkable.”
Early Voting Continues Through Friday
Early voting runs through Friday, June 5, with centers open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voters can visit scVOTES.gov to:
- Check their polling place
- Review their sample ballot
- Find early voting locations and hours
- Review photo ID requirements
- Learn about absentee voting and deadlines
South Carolina officials say they expect strong turnout to continue into the final days of early voting.
