Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives

Last updated
Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives
Murrell Smith (cropped).png
Incumbent
Murrell Smith, Jr.
since May 12, 2022
Member of South Carolina House of Representatives
NominatorElection by House
Term length 4 years, 5-term limit
Inaugural holder James Parsons [1]
Formation1776
Salary$33,400 + $140 per diem [2]

The speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the South Carolina House of Representatives, whose main role is to ensure that general order is maintained in the house by recognizing members to speak, ensuring members are following established rules, and to call for votes. The speaker is third in third in the line of succession behind the lieutenant governor and the president of the senate. The current speaker is Murrell Smith, Jr., a Republican who has held the position since May 12, 2022.

Contents

History

James Parsons was the first speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, elected in 1776 after the adoption of South Carolina's first constitution. Since 1776, there have been sixty-one speakers of the house. Four speakers have served non-consecutive terms, but unlike the office of governor where each office holder is counted once regardless of terms served, speakers are counted separately for each time in office. Therefore, for example, Solomon Blatt Sr. was the 50th and the 53rd speaker. [3]

Election

The speaker is elected by a simple majority vote to a four year term following the most recent general election and may not serve more than five consecutive terms. [4] The next election will be in 2023. Incumbent Speaker Murrell Smith was elected intra-term in 2022 following the resignation of Jay Lucas. Since 1776, there have been 34 Democrats, 9 Democratic-Republicans, 8 Republicans, 8 Independents, and 2 Nullifiers. [3] The speaker pro tempore presides in the speaker's absence. [4]

Roles and responsibilities

The speaker of the house "preserve[s] order and decorum" in the chamber and oversees the proceeding of the House of Representatives by recognizing members to speak, calling for votes, and maintaining general order. [4] [5] The speaker also serves an ex officio member of the Committee on Operations and Managementof the House of Representatives. [4] Additionally, the speaker of the house has the ability to do the following:

Succession to governorship

The speaker of the house is third in the gubernatorial line of succession. If the governor, lieutenant governor, and President of the South Carolina Senate are unable to serve as governor, the speaker of the house becomes governor. [6] Since the role of lieutenant governor was separated from president of the senate, no president has succeeded to the office of governor.

List of speakers

List of speakers of the South Carolina House of Representatives [3] [lower-alpha 1]
#SpeakerPartyTerm of officeNotes
1 James Parsons NoneMarch 26, 1776

October 1776
2 John Matthews NoneDecember 1776

Spring of 1777
3 Thomas Bee NoneSummer of 1777

November 1778
4 John Matthews NoneJanuary 1779

December 1779
2nd Time
5Thomas FarrNone1779

1782
6Hugh RutledgeNone1782

1785
7 John Faucheraud Grimké None1785

1787
8John Julius Pringle  Federalist 1787

1789
9 Jacob Read   Federalist 1789

1795
10 Robert Barnwell   Federalist 1795

1798
11 William Johnson   Democratic-Republican 1798

1800
12Theodore Gaillard  Democratic-Republican 1800

1802
13Robert Stork  Democratic-Republican 1802

1804
14William Cotesworth Pinckney,  Democratic-Republican 1804

1805
15 Joseph Alston   Democratic-Republican 1805

1810
16 John Geddes   Democratic-Republican 1810

1814
17 Thomas Bennett Jr.   Democratic-Republican 1814

1818
19 Patrick Noble   Democratic-Republican 1818

1824
20 John Belton O'Neall   Democratic-Republican 1824

1828
21Benjamin Fanuel Dunkin  Nullifier (Democratic) 1828

1830
22 Henry L. Pinckney   Nullifier (Democratic) 1830

1833
23 Patrick Noble   Democratic 1833

1836
2nd time

Changed parties

24David Lewis Wardlaw  Democratic 1836

1842
25 William F. Colcock   Democratic 1842

1848
26John Izard Middleton  Democratic 1848

1850
27James Simons  Democratic 1862

1864
28R. B. Boyleston  Democratic 1864

1865
Deposed by Union Army
29R. B. BoylestonNone1865

1868
30 Franklin J. Moses Jr.   Republican 1868

1872
31 Samuel Jones Lee   Republican 1872

1874
32R.B. Elliot  Republican 1874

1876
33 William Henry Wallace   Democratic 1876

1876
34 John Calhoun Sheppard   Democratic 1877

1882
35James Simons, Jr.  Democratic 1882

1890
36 John L. M. Irby   Democratic 1890

1891
37 Ira B. Jones   Democratic 1891

1896
38 Frank B. Gary   Democratic 1896

1901
39 William Francis Stevenson   Democratic 1901

1903
40Mendel L. Smith  Democratic 1903

1907
41 Richard S. Whaley   Democratic 1907

1911
42Mendel L. Smith  Democratic 1911

1915
2nd Time
43James Hoyt  Democratic 1915

1918
44 Thomas P. Cothran   Democratic 1918

1921
45J. B. Atkinson  Democratic 1921

1923
46Thos. S. McMillan  Democratic 1923

1925
47 Edgar Allan Brown   Democratic 1925

1926
48John K. Hamblin  Democratic 1927

1933
49James B. Gibson  Democratic 1933

1934
Died
50 Claude A. Taylor   Democratic 1935

1936
51 Solomon Blatt Sr.   Democratic 1935

1936
52 C. Bruce Littlejohn   Democratic 1947

1949
53Thomas H. Pope  Democratic 1949

1950
54 Solomon Blatt Sr.   Democratic 1951

August 1, 1973
2nd Time
55 Rex L. Carter   Democratic 1973

August 1, 1980
56 Ramon Schwartz Jr.   Democratic 1981

October 1, 1986
57 Robert Sheheen   Democratic 1987

October 1, 1994
58 David Wilkins   Republican December 6, 1994

June 21, 2005
59 Bobby Harrell   Republican June 21, 2005

October 23, 2014
60 Jay Lucas   Republican December 2, 2014

May 12, 2022
61 Murrell Smith, Jr.   Republican May 12, 2022

Incumbent

Notes

  1. There is no 18th speaker. This is because at some point in history, pre-dating Wikipedia, someone miscounted. Since, society has gone along with the incorrect number. Incumbent Speaker Murrell Smith announces himself as the 61st speaker, though he is supposed to be the 60th.

Related Research Articles

President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of South Carolina</span> Head of state and of government of the U.S. state of South Carolina

The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the South Carolina General Assembly, submitting an executive budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of North Carolina

The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Senate</span> Upper house of the bicameral North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for each senator is only two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina</span> Second-highest elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina

The lieutenant governor of North Carolina is the second-highest elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is the only elected official to have powers in both the legislative and executive branches of state government. A member of the North Carolina Council of State, the lieutenant governor serves a four-year term with a two consecutive term limit. The current lieutenant governor is Mark Robinson, a Republican, who has held the office since 2021. The Constitution of North Carolina designates the lieutenant governor the ex officio president of the State Senate and a member of the State Board of Education. They are also required to serve as acting governor of the state in the event of the governor's absence, and assume the governorship in the event it becomes vacant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Senate</span> Senate of the State of Texas

The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, with the Texas House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, they compose the state legislature of the state of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Senate</span> Upper house of the Tennessee General Assembly

The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the U.S. state of Tennessee's state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of South Carolina

The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. All together, the General Assembly consists of 170 members. The legislature convenes at the State House in Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi</span> Statewide vice-executive officer of the U.S. state of Mississippi

The lieutenant governor of Mississippi is the second-highest ranking elected executive officer in the U.S. state of Mississippi, below the governor of Mississippi, and is the only official in the state to be a member of two branches of state government. The office of lieutenant governor was established when Mississippi became a state in 1817, abolished for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, and restored later in the century. The lieutenant governor serves a four-year term with a two consecutive term limit. The current lieutenant governor is Delbert Hosemann, a Republican, who has held the office since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Oklahoma

The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 state representatives, each serving a two-year term, and 48 state senators, who serve four-year terms that are staggered so only half of the Oklahoma Senate districts are eligible in each election cycle. Legislators are elected directly by the people from single member districts of equal population. The Oklahoma Legislature meets annually in the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana State Legislature</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Louisiana

The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana State Senate with 39 senators. Members of each house are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal populations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Senate</span> Upper house of Oklahomas legislature

The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate</span>

The president pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking state senator. The Oklahoma Constitution designates the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma as the highest-ranking official, serving ex officio as President of the Senate, even though the lieutenant governor only votes in the case of a tie. During the lieutenant governor's absence, the president pro tempore presides over sessions. By longstanding custom, the lieutenant governor presides over sessions devoted to ceremonial purposes, while the bulk of the legislative management and political power is reserved for the president pro tempore, who is elected directly by the Oklahoma Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina</span> Second-in-command to the governor of South Carolina

The lieutenant governor of South Carolina is the second-in-command to the governor of South Carolina. Beyond the responsibility to act or serve as governor in the event of the office's vacancy, the duties of the lieutenant governor are chiefly ceremonial. The current lieutenant governor is Pamela Evette, who took office January 9, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana State Senate</span> Upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana

The Louisiana State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees.

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Connecticut:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina government and politics</span>

South Carolina government and politics covers the three different branches of government, as well as the state constitution, law enforcement agencies, federal representation, state finances, and state taxes. South Carolina is a state in the United States of America and was the eighth admitted to the Union. The state of South Carolina was preceded by the Crown Colony of South Carolina, a constitutional monarchy which was overthrown during the American Revolution. Presently, South Carolina's government is formed as a representative democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the South Carolina Senate</span>

The president of the South Carolina Senate is the presiding officer of the body. The role of the president is to ensure that general order is maintained in the senate by recognizing members to speak, ensuring members are following established rules, and to call for votes. Additionally, the president is second in the line of succession should the governor and lieutenant governor be unable to serve as governor. The current president of the senate is Thomas C. Alexander, a Republican, who has held the position since December 6, 2021.

James Parsons was an American politician and attorney who served as the last vice president of South Carolina from June 27, 1777 to January 9, 1779. He was born in Ireland and migrated to the British colony of South Carolina in 1750.

References

  1. "South Carolina Constitution of 1776". avalon.law.yale.edu. Yale University. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  2. Slade, David. "Salary only part of S.C. lawmakers' compensation". publicintegrity.org. Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "SPEAKERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA 1776–2021" (PDF). scstatehouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "House Rules" (PDF). scstatehouse.gov. South Carolina Legislature. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. "South Carolina Constitution: ARTICLE III LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT" (PDF). sc.gov. South Carolina State House. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  6. "Article IV, Executive Department" (PDF). scstatehouse.gov.