MORNING HEADLINES | S.C. voters cast more than 319,000 early ballots in South Carolina’s 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries, setting the stage for today’s packed election day.
Polls are open and will close at 7 p.m.
Democrats outperformed Republicans by a margin of 188,000 to 131,600 during the two-week early voting period. But with runoffs predicted in many crowded races, the story at the end of the day may not be about who wins their party’s nomination, but about who makes it through to the next round.
The marquee contest is South Carolina’s open governor’s race, the first battle for the state’s top job without an incumbent on the ballot in 16 years. A crowded five-way Republican field means the contest could be headed for a runoff June 23. Democrats have three choices for governor from which to pick.
Voters will also help shape contest races for attorney general, agriculture commissioner, House legislative seats and more.
Also on the ballot are primaries for U.S. Senate and several congressional seats..
What to know before casting your ballot:
South Carolina has an open primary system which means any registered voter may cast a ballot in either party’s primary — but not both.
Your voting precinct and polling place are determined by your address and should be listed on your voter registration card. To check your voting location, visit the S.C. Election Commission website at scvotes.gov.
To vote today, you will need an authorized form of photo identification, such as a
S.C. driver’s license, a state ID card or a passport.
Around town
Our online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area. Just click on “Events” above at right under the black toolbar. You’ll be amazed at what you find.
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In recent headlines
CP NEWS: Tastes, activities of Charleston lure student journalists to relax. Six graduate students from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication enjoyed Charleston’s food and parks in between writing more than three dozen stories this year about Spoleto Festival USA and the Piccolo Spoleto festival.
New Murdaugh judge once praised alleged killer’s defense lawyer as key mentor. The state judge selected to oversee the double murder retrial of Alex Murdaugh once praised the alleged killer’s lead defense counsel as one of three lawyers who “made an impression“ in her life.
S.C. drought lingers despite wet May, with much of the Upstate still severely dry. A wetter-than-normal month brought temporary relief to a state that had been parched since last fall. Portions of South Carolina received more than 200 percent of normal precipitation during May.
AROUND TOWN: Isle of Palms seeking to rebrand the city as a ‘family friendly destination.’ Where Charleston often tops the list of bachelorette trip destinations for many brides-to-be, this area beach community wants to swap party weekends for low-key family getaways.
- Folly Beach weighing AI system to monitor beach conditions and tourism.
- Historic cemetery near James Island baseball field being reclaimed and restored.
Two S.C. cities rank within top 10 places to start a career. Charleston and Columbia make WalletHub’s list for the best cities to start a career in the United States, when compared to 182 cities across the nation.
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