Over 300K voted early in 2026 SC primaries, shattering previous record

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - South Carolina voters turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots early ahead of the June 9 primary elections.

More than 300,000 South Carolina voters cast their ballots during the early voting period, according to final data from the South Carolina Election Commission.

Data also shows the top 10 counties in terms of voter turnout.

Below is a comparison of early voting totals compared to the past five elections, dating back to the 2022 primaries.

The 2026 numbers are a new record for primary elections, coming in nearly double the mark seen in 2024.

Early voting data in South Carolina only dates back to the 2022 elections.

Data also shows nearly 60% of the early ballots cast in South Carolina were on the Democratic side of the ticket.

FIRST DAY SETS RECORDS

The South Carolina Election Commission said 56,407 ballots were cast Tuesday, a new first-day record for a primary election in South Carolina.

It also eclipsed first-day numbers from the general election in November 2022, which saw nearly 12,000 fewer ballots cast.

It also marked one of the highest single-day early voting totals since 2022, more than doubling the peak early voting day of the 2024 primaries.

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