2025 South Carolina elections

2025 South Carolina elections

Elections were held in the U.S. State of South Carolina throughout 2025 to elect municipal positions, as well as any special elections.

State legislative

House District 113

2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 113 special election

March 25, 2025
Turnout1.94% (unofficial)[1]
 
Candidate Courtney Waters Write-in
Party Democratic
Popular vote 389 8
Percentage 97.98% 2.02%

Representative before election

Marvin R. Pendarvis
Democratic

Elected Representative

Courtney Waters
Democratic

The 2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 113 special election was held on March 25, 2025, to elect a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 113th district. The primary election was held on January 21, 2025.[2]

Background

Incumbent representative Marvin R. Pendarvis resigned following a malpractice investigation and the suspension of his law license.[3][4]

Democratic primary

Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Michelle Brandt, environmental scientist[6]
  • Kim Clark, realtor[7]
Results
Democratic primary[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Courtney Waters 561 69.86
Democratic Michelle Brandt 228 28.39
Democratic Kim Clark 14 1.74
Total votes 803 100.00

General election

2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 113 special election[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Courtney Waters 389 97.98
Write-in 8 2.02
Total votes 396 100.00

House District 50

2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 50 special election

June 3, 2025
Turnout14.31%
 
Candidate Keishan Scott William Oden
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,593 1,078
Percentage 70.6% 29.4%

Precinct results (with counties labeled)
Scott:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100%
Oden:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
     Tie      No votes

Representative before election

Will Wheeler
Democratic

Elected Representative

Keishan Scott
Democratic

A special election was held in the U.S. state of South Carolina on June 3, 2025, to elect a new member for District 50 in the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing portions of three counties in central South Carolina. The election filled a vacancy caused by the resignation of Democratic member Will Wheeler in January 2025.

Background

Race of registered voters in House District 50 as of May 20, 2025, per the South Carolina Election Commission
  1. White (47.1%)
  2. Black (50.5%)
  3. All others (2.40%)

After the 2024 general election, Republicans held a supermajority in the South Carolina House of Representatives, outnumbering Democrats 88 to 36.

The special election was made necessary by the resignation of incumbent Democratic representative Will Wheeler on January 16, 2025, to become eligible for a judicial seat in the 12th Circuit Court in 2026. Under South Carolina, judicial candidates must be out of the legislature at least a year out from the election.[10]

The general election is scheduled for June 3, 2025. A primary was held on April 1, 2025, with a runoff primary election additionally scheduled for April 15, 2025, but was not necessary.[11]

As of May 20, 2025, there were 25,815 registered voters in HD 50. It is majority-minority, with 51% of the district's registered voters being Black.[12]

Previous general election results

This table shows every general election in HD 50 won by the previous incumbent, Democrat Will Wheeler, and the election immediately preceding. Until this special election, Republicans had only contested this seat one time since 2014. Wheeler had not faced any primary opposition from any fellow Democrats since 2016.

Year Democrats Republican Write-in Mgn. Ref.
2024 Will Wheeler (i) 13,512 98.12% 259 1.88% D+96.24 [13]
2022 Will Wheeler (i) 7,815 59.98% Marvin Jones 5,201 39.92% 13 0.10% D+20.06
2020 Will Wheeler (i) 12,628 97.36% 343 2.64% D+94.72
2018 Will Wheeler (i) 9,139 98.51% 138 1.49% D+97.02
2016 Will Wheeler (i) 11,983 99.43% 69 0.57% D+98.86
2014 Grady Brown (i) 8,574 98.53% 128 1.47% D+97.06 [14]

Democratic primary

Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
  • Carl Whetsel, former Bishopville city councilor and businessman
Results

Unofficial vote tallies saw Scott leading Whetsel 1,435–1,425. Due to the tight margin, the election was subject to an automatic recount. The recount expanded Scott's unofficial 10-vote lead by one.[15]

Keishan Scott won a majority of votes cast in Kershaw County and Sumter County, while Whetsel won Lee County.

2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 50 special Democratic primary[16]
April 1, 2025
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Keishan Scott 1,436 50.19%
Democratic Carl Whetsel 1,425 49.81%
Total votes 2,861 100.00%
Turnout 2,877 11.14%
Registered electors 25,818

Republican nominee

The Republican primary was canceled as only one candidate, former U.S. Air Force colonel William Oden, filed to run.[17]

General election

Results
2025 South Carolina House of Representatives District 50 special election
June 3, 2025 (election night results)[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Keishan Scott 2,593 70.56%
Republican William Oden 1,078 29.33%
Write-in 4 0.11%
Total votes 3,675 100.0
Registered electors 25,816
Turnout   14.31%
Democratic hold

Local

References

  1. ^ "State House of Representatives, District 113". March 25, 2025, Election Night Reporting. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  2. ^ "State House District 113 Special Election". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  3. ^ "Democrat Marvin Pendarvis resigns from state legislature". Count On News 2. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  4. ^ "State Rep. Marvin Pendarvis resigns amid accusations from a former client". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  5. ^ "Courtney Waters runs for South Carolina House seat vacated by Marvin Pendarvis". ABC 4 News. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  6. ^ "Michelle Brandt files for S.C. House District 113 election with focus on family and safety". ABC 4 News. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  7. ^ "Three women seeking open South Carolina House seat". Count On News 2. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  8. ^ "STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 113 SPECIAL PRIMARY". Vote State of South Carolina. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  9. ^ "State House of Representatives, District 113". State of South Carolina. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  10. ^ Laird, Skyler (January 16, 2025). "SC House Democrat unexpectedly resigns after easily winning a 5th term". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  11. ^ "State House District 50 Special Election". SC Votes. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  12. ^ "Voter Registration Statistics By District". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  13. ^ "Search Past Elections (Candidate: Will Wheeler)". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  14. ^ "2014 Statewide General Election". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  15. ^ Currin, Deirdre (April 5, 2025). "10-vote margin leads to recount in S.C. House 50 Democratic primary; Scott is winner". The Item. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  16. ^ "State House of Representatives District 50 Primary Recount April 4, 2025 Election Night Reporting". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  17. ^ Cahn, Martin (May 26, 2025). "It's Scott vs. Oden in special House 50 election". Chronicle-Independent. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  18. ^ "STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 50 SPECIAL ELECTION, JUNE 3, 2025". South Carolina Secretary of State. June 3, 2025. Retrieved June 3, 2025.