South Carolina government and politics facts for kids
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| Formation | 1789 |
|---|---|
| Founding document | South Carolina Constitution |
| Jurisdiction | State of South Carolina |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature | General Assembly |
| Meeting place | State House |
| Executive branch | |
| Leader | Governor |
| Appointer | Elected At Large |
| Headquarters | State House |
| Judicial branch | |
| Court | Supreme Court |
| Seat | Columbia, SC |
The South Carolina government helps run the state of South Carolina, which is one of the United States of America. It was the eighth state to join the U.S. Before it became a state, South Carolina was a British colony.
Today, South Carolina has a government where people elect their leaders. This is called a representative democracy. The government is split into three main parts: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This helps make sure no single part has too much power.
South Carolina is mostly a conservative state, meaning it often supports traditional values and less government involvement. The Republican Party is currently very strong here. Over time, South Carolina's politics have been led by three main parties: the Democratic-Republican Party, then the Democratic Party, and now the Republican Party.
For a long time, like many Southern states, South Carolina usually voted for the Democratic Party. This was partly because many Black voters were prevented from voting between 1865 and the 1960s. The Republican Party started to become more popular in the 1960s. In 1964, Barry Goldwater was the first Republican to win the state in a presidential election since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War.
Since 1964, South Carolina has voted for the Republican Party in almost every presidential election. The only exception was in 1976, when Jimmy Carter, a Democrat from the South, became president. Even so, some conservative Democrats continued to win state and local elections until the late 1900s. Today, the Republican Party holds most of the top government jobs in South Carolina. They also control both of the state's seats in the U.S. Senate and six out of seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. They also have a majority in the state's South Carolina General Assembly.
Contents
How South Carolina's Government Works
The Executive Branch: Leading the State
The executive branch is in charge of carrying out the laws.
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The Governor of South Carolina is the state's main leader. The governor is elected for a four-year term and can serve two terms in a row. The current governor is Republican Henry McMaster. He became governor when Nikki Haley left to become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
The Lieutenant Governor is the second-in-command. If the governor cannot do their job, the lieutenant governor steps in. Since 2018, the governor and lieutenant governor run for election together as a team.
The Governor's Cabinet
The South Carolina Constitution says that eight top executive officers are elected separately by the people. This is different from most states, where the governor usually chooses these officials. This means that different political parties can be part of the executive branch.
Here are some of the elected officials in South Carolina's executive branch:
| Office | Office Holder | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor of South Carolina |  |
Henry McMaster | Republican | |
| Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina |  |
Pamela Evette | Republican | |
| Attorney General of South Carolina |  |
Alan Wilson | Republican | |
| Commissioner of Agriculture |  |
Hugh Weathers | Republican | |
| Comptroller General |  |
Brian J. Gaines | Democratic | |
| Secretary of State |  |
Mark Hammond | Republican | |
| Treasurer | .jpg) |
Curtis Loftis | Republican | |
| South Carolina Superintendent of Education |  |
Ellen Weaver | Republican | |
The Governor's Cabinet also includes other positions that the governor recommends. These people are then approved by the Senate.
The Legislative Branch: Making Laws
The South Carolina General Assembly is the state's law-making body. It has two parts: the South Carolina House of Representatives (124 members) and the South Carolina Senate (46 members). Representatives serve for two years, and Senators serve for four years. Both groups meet at the South Carolina State House. The Republican Party currently controls both parts of the General Assembly.
Years ago, each county elected one senator and at least one representative. This gave smaller, rural areas a lot of power. But a federal court case, Reynolds v. Sims, changed this. It said that legislative districts must be based on how many people live there, so that everyone's vote counts about the same.
Party Control Over Time
This chart shows which political party has been in control of the South Carolina General Assembly since 1868.
The Judicial Branch: Interpreting Laws
The judicial branch is made up of courts that interpret laws and make sure they are followed fairly.
Family Court
The Family Court handles all cases about families and relationships. It also deals with most cases involving young people under 17, except for traffic or hunting violations.
Circuit Court
The South Carolina Circuit Court is the main trial court in South Carolina. It has two parts: one for civil cases (disputes between people or groups) and one for criminal cases. It also hears some appeals from lower courts. South Carolina has 46 counties, divided into 16 judicial circuits. There are 46 circuit court judges, who are elected by the General Assembly for six-year terms.
Court of Appeals
The South Carolina Court of Appeals is the state's middle-level appeals court. It hears appeals from the Circuit Court and Family Court. The Court of Appeals has a chief judge and eight other judges. They are selected by the General Assembly for six-year terms.
Supreme Court
The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It has a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices. They are elected for ten-year terms. There's no limit to how many terms a justice can serve, but they must retire at age 72. Most changes on the court happen when a justice reaches this age.
State Laws and Constitution
South Carolina Constitution
South Carolina has had seven different constitutions throughout its history. A constitution is like a rulebook for the government.
- 1776: South Carolina's very first constitution.
- 1778: This one changed the official church and created an upper house that people could vote for.
- 1790: This constitution gave more power to the General Assembly.
- 1861: This was the constitution used during the Civil War.
- 1865: This was needed for South Carolina to rejoin the U.S. It removed rules about owning property to vote. It also made the governor elected by the people and gave the governor veto power.
- 1868: This is the only constitution that was approved by a popular vote of the people. It set up public education and removed rules about owning property to hold office. It also allowed all men to vote, no matter their race.
- 1895: This constitution put rules in place, like poll taxes and literacy tests, that made it very hard for many Black citizens to vote. This unfair system continued until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, which helped make sure everyone could vote.
Since 1895, many people have wanted a new constitution. The current one has been changed hundreds of times to follow federal laws and for other reasons. Because of all these changes, South Carolina's constitution is one of the longest in the country!
Law Enforcement Agencies
These agencies help keep people safe and enforce laws in South Carolina:
- South Carolina Department of Public Safety
- South Carolina Highway Patrol Division
- South Carolina State Transport Police Division
- South Carolina Bureau of Protective Services
- South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy
- South Carolina Department of Corrections
- SC Department of Corrections Training Academy
- SC Department of Corrections Tactical Teams
- SC Department of Juvenile Justice
- South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services
- South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
- South Carolina Climatology Department
- South Carolina Department of Mental Health
South Carolina's Federal Representation
South Carolina sends elected officials to represent the state in the U.S. government in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Senate
South Carolina has two senators in the U.S. Senate:
| Senator | Party | Since | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lindsey Graham | Republican | January 3, 2003 |
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Tim Scott | Republican | January 2, 2013 |
U.S. House of Representatives
South Carolina currently has seven representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives:
| District | Representative | Party | Since | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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U.S. Rep. District 1 | Nancy Mace | Republican | January 3, 2021 |
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U.S. Rep. District 2 | Joe Wilson | Republican | December 18, 2001 |
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U.S. Rep. District 3 | Jeff Duncan | Republican | January 3, 2011 |
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U.S. Rep. District 4 | William Timmons | Republican | January 3, 2019 |
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U.S. Rep. District 5 | Ralph Norman | Republican | June 26, 2017 |
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U.S. Rep. District 6 | Jim Clyburn | Democratic | January 3, 1993 |
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U.S. Rep. District 7 | Russell Fry | Republican | January 3, 2023 |
You can find a map of these districts here.
Federal Courts
South Carolina is part of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Cases from this court can be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which is located in Richmond.
State Finances and Taxes
South Carolina gets money to run the state through taxes.
Taxes
The state has a personal income tax. The highest tax rate is 7% for income over $13,351.
Money from the state sales tax is used only for education. South Carolina has a 6% state sales tax. But with local and county taxes added, the total sales tax can be higher. For example, in Charleston, the tax rate can be 10.5%. Some items have different tax rates. For instance, unprepared food has a 3% tax, and hotel stays have a 7% tax. People aged 85 or older get a small discount on the general sales tax.
South Carolina also has a 5% tax on the fair value of vehicles, boats, and airplanes when they are sold between individuals. The most this tax can be is $500.
Property tax is collected by local governments. About two-thirds of the property taxes collected by counties go to support public education. Cities also collect property taxes for services they provide. This tax is paid by individuals and businesses who own property in the state.
Presidential Elections in South Carolina
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,385,103 | 55.11% | 1,091,541 | 43.43% | 36,685 | 1.46% |
| 2016 | 1,155,389 | 54.94% | 855,373 | 40.67% | 92,265 | 4.39% |
| 2012 | 1,071,645 | 54.56% | 865,941 | 44.09% | 26,532 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | 1,034,896 | 53.87% | 862,449 | 44.90% | 23,624 | 1.23% |
| 2004 | 937,974 | 57.98% | 661,699 | 40.90% | 18,057 | 1.12% |
| 2000 | 786,426 | 56.83% | 566,039 | 40.91% | 31,312 | 2.26% |
| 1996 | 573,458 | 49.89% | 504,051 | 43.85% | 71,948 | 6.26% |
| 1992 | 577,507 | 48.02% | 479,514 | 39.88% | 145,506 | 12.10% |
| 1988 | 606,443 | 61.50% | 370,554 | 37.58% | 9,012 | 0.91% |
| 1984 | 615,539 | 63.55% | 344,470 | 35.57% | 8,531 | 0.88% |
| 1980 | 441,207 | 49.57% | 427,560 | 48.04% | 21,316 | 2.39% |
| 1976 | 346,140 | 43.13% | 450,825 | 56.17% | 5,629 | 0.70% |
| 1972 | 478,427 | 70.58% | 189,270 | 27.92% | 10,183 | 1.50% |
| 1968 | 254,062 | 38.09% | 197,486 | 29.61% | 215,434 | 32.30% |
| 1964 | 309,048 | 58.89% | 215,700 | 41.10% | 8 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 188,558 | 48.76% | 198,129 | 51.24% | 1 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 75,700 | 25.18% | 136,372 | 45.37% | 88,511 | 29.45% |
| 1952 | 168,082 | 49.28% | 173,004 | 50.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 5,386 | 3.78% | 34,423 | 24.14% | 102,762 | 72.08% |
| 1944 | 4,610 | 4.46% | 90,601 | 87.64% | 8,164 | 7.90% |
| 1940 | 4,360 | 4.37% | 95,470 | 95.63% | 2 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,646 | 1.43% | 113,791 | 98.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,978 | 1.89% | 102,347 | 98.03% | 82 | 0.08% |
| 1928 | 5,858 | 8.54% | 62,700 | 91.39% | 47 | 0.07% |
| 1924 | 1,123 | 2.21% | 49,008 | 96.56% | 621 | 1.22% |
| 1920 | 2,610 | 3.91% | 64,170 | 96.05% | 28 | 0.04% |
| 1916 | 1,550 | 2.42% | 61,846 | 96.71% | 556 | 0.87% |
| 1912 | 536 | 1.06% | 48,357 | 95.94% | 1,512 | 3.00% |
| 1908 | 3,945 | 5.94% | 62,288 | 93.84% | 146 | 0.22% |
| 1904 | 2,554 | 4.63% | 52,563 | 95.36% | 1 | 0.00% |
| 1900 | 3,579 | 7.04% | 47,233 | 92.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1896 | 9,313 | 13.51% | 58,801 | 85.30% | 824 | 1.20% |
| 1892 | 13,345 | 18.93% | 54,680 | 77.56% | 2,479 | 3.52% |
| 1888 | 13,736 | 17.17% | 65,824 | 82.28% | 437 | 0.55% |
| 1884 | 21,730 | 23.41% | 69,845 | 75.25% | 1,237 | 1.33% |
| 1880 | 57,954 | 34.13% | 111,236 | 65.51% | 603 | 0.36% |
| 1876 | 91,786 | 50.24% | 90,897 | 49.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1872 | 72,290 | 75.73% | 22,699 | 23.78% | 463 | 0.49% |
| 1868 | 62,301 | 57.93% | 45,237 | 42.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
