Breaking down the Palmetto State’s surge in ballot banking…
Early voting in South Carolina is reaching new heights this week, with the total ballots cast likely to hit or exceed the one million mark shortly.
As of Monday, October 28, 2024, an impressive 865,569 individuals, accounting for 25.3 percent of the state’s 3.42 million registered voters, have already cast their votes. This number reflects more than a third (34.2 percent) of the total turnout seen in the 2020 elections, where 2.53 million voters participated.
There are still five days left for early voting, providing more opportunities for residents to make their voices heard.
For a closer look at early voting trends, our research director, Jenn Wood, has put together an insightful analysis comparing current numbers to those from the 2024 presidential primary in February and the partisan primaries in June.
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In South Carolina, which leans heavily Republican, it is expected that GOP nominee Donald Trump will secure all nine of the state’s electoral votes once again. Trump won significant support in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, taking home 55 percent of the total votes. The last Democrat to win the state was Jimmy Carter in 1976, a record that isn’t likely to change this election.
However, the impact of early voting on closely contested legislative races remains a critical question.
To gauge where early voting is most active, Jenn has created a comprehensive map showcasing all forty-six counties based on the percentage of ballots already cast.
Leading the early voting efforts is small McCormick County, where 38.5 percent of registered voters have made their selections. In contrast, Dillon County is lagging behind, with only 16.6 percent participation.
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If you’re looking to vote early, check out SCVotes.gov for information on locations and procedures.
Nationwide, early voting is currently in full swing. According to the latest statistics from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, as of October 29, 2024, over 49.2 million early votes have already been cast across the country. In registered party states, there are 9.4 million Democratic votes cast (39.4 percent), 8.6 million Republican votes (36.3 percent), and 5.8 million votes from unaffiliated voters (24.3 percent).
This marks a significant increase in early voting for the GOP compared to previous elections, although the complete influence on the upcoming presidential race is yet to be understood.
As reported previously, Trump’s support has increased in crucial battleground states, but polling suggests the race remains tight, staying within the margin of error both nationally and in key swing states.
Stay tuned for more updates as we head into the final week of this significant political season.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of this news outlet. Before starting FITSNews, he served as press secretary to South Carolina’s governor. Will resides in the Midlands with his wife and seven children.
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