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SOUTH CAROLINA's STATE LAWS REGARDING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS

  • Electoral College Votes Count: 9
  • Alocation Type: winner-takes-all
  • Electors Must Pledge: yes

Elector Pledge and Electoral College Votes Allocation​

South Carolina is one of the 48 states that have a winner-takes-all rule for the Electoral College. In these States, whichever candidate receives a majority of the popular vote, or a plurality of the popular vote (less than 50 percent but more than any other candidate), takes all of the state’s Electoral votes.South Carolina is one of the states have passed laws that require their electors to vote as pledged. These laws may either impose a fine on an elector who fails to vote according to the statewide or district popular vote, or may disqualify an elector who violates his or her pledge and provide a replacement elector.

Election Code: S.C. 7-9-90, 7-19-70, 7-19-80, 7-19-90, 7-19-100, 7-19-110, and 7-19-120

How Does South Carolina Select Its Electors?​

  • Any certified party nominating candidates for President and Vice President must nominate eight candidates for electors. Petition candidates for President and Vice President must also nominate eight candidates for electors. Each candidate for elector must declare which candidate for President and Vice President he will vote for if elected. At least sixty days prior to Election Day, the political parties and petition candidates file their electors' names along with their candidate declarations with the Secretary of State.On Election Day, the names for candidates for President and Vice President appear on the ballot. Votes for the candidates for President and Vice President named on the ballot are actually votes for the political parties' electors or the petition candidates' electors. After the election, the State Board of Canvassers meets to certify the election. Certified results are sent to the Secretary of State.

When Do The Electors Vote?​

  • Electors must convene at 11:00 a.m., on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, in the Secretary of State's office. The electors then vote by ballot for President and Vice President. Those elected must vote for the candidate for whom they declared. Any person selected to fill a vacancy in the Electoral College must vote for the same candidate for whom the person he is replacing declared. Any elector who votes contrary to their declaration shall be deemed guilty of violating the election laws of the State and upon conviction shall be punished according to law. However, the executive committee of the party from which an elector was elected may relieve the elector from the obligation of his declaration when, in its judgment, circumstances shall have arisen which, in the opinion of the committee, it would not be in the best interest of the State for the elector to cast his ballot for such a candidate.

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