7 October 2024
A closer look at the landscape of State House races, as we approach the November 5th General Election.
It’s a big election year, and showing up to the polls is one of the most important parts of the advocacy process. In this blog, we’re taking a deep dive into State House, so you know what to expect on November 5th. The South Carolina Arts Alliance does not endorse any one candidate or political party — rather, our goal is ensure that we continue to see support for the arts at the State and Federal levels, regardless of who is in office.
As an arts advocate, we encourage you to engage with candidates and inform them about the impact of the arts in our economy, our communities, and our classrooms. You can access more voter resources, including toolkits and nonpartisan voter engagement guides at our ElectionHQ.
And don’t forget to vote — early voting begins October 21st!
What’s on the Ballot?
At the State House, all 124 House seats and all 46 Senate seats are up for election. Voters will also decide on the next US President, all 7 Congressional seats for our State, as well as a variety of candidates for local elections. You can view a sample ballot here.
By the Numbers: State House Races
Decided Races
After the June 11th Primary Elections, and the June 25th runoffs, about 50% of State House seats were already decided. Meaning 89 candidates will rununcontested on Nov. 5 (out of 170 total seats).
- 70 (56%) House candidates (43 had no primary opponent)
- 19 (35%) Senate candidates (13 had no primary opponent)
Of those decided races House races:
- 7 candidates will be new members (2 of them defeated an incumbent in the primary)
- 63 are incumbent candidates
Of those decided Senate races:
- 3 candidates will be new members (2 of them defeated an incumbent in the primary)
- 16 are incumbent candidates
Contested Races
The remaining 81 seats have contested races in the General Election. Of the 27 contested Senate seats:
- 4 seats were lost by an incumbent in the primary
- In 6 races, the winner will be a new member of the SC Senate
- The remaining 21 races involve an incumbent candidate
Of the 54 contested House Seats:
- 1 seat was lost by an incumbent in the primary
- In 10 races, the winner will be a new member of the SC House
- The remaining 44 races involve an incumbent candidate
Takeaway
One of the toughest parts of advocacy is developing and sustaining relationships with legislators, so it’s important to note that no fewer than 26 members (15%) of the General Assembly will be in their first term next year. We hope to see the strong history of bipartisan support continue in the State House, regardless of the outcomes on November 5th.
Pecan Public Relations provided a really great way to explore the raw data, if you’re interested in digging deeper.
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