2002 South Carolina Secretary of State election

2002 South Carolina Secretary of State election

← 1998 November 5, 2002 2006 →

Candidate Mark Hammond Rick Wade Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 610,799 463,501 Percentage 56.8% 43.1%

Secretary of State before election Jim Miles Republican Elected Secretary of State Mark Hammond Republican

The 2002 South Carolina Secretary of State election was held on November 5, 2002, to elect the Secretary of State of South Carolina. Incumbent Republican secretary of state Jim Miles did not run for re-election. Republican nominee Mark Hammond defeated Rick Wade in the general election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Mark Hammond, Spartanburg County Clerk of Court ^[1]

Eliminated in runoff

• Ed McMullen, president of McMullen Public Affairs ^[2]

Eliminated in primary

• Lois Eargle, Horry County auditor ^[3]

Results

Republican primary ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mark Hammond	110,761	38.87
	Republican	Ed McMullen	96,451	33.84
	Republican	Lois Eargle	77,769	27.29
Total votes			284,981	100.00

Runoff

Results

Republican primary runoff ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mark Hammond	151,942	54.75
	Republican	Ed McMullen	125,567	45.25
Total votes			277,509	100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Rick Wade, director of the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services ^[6]

General election

Results

2002 South Carolina Secretary of State election ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mark Hammond	610,799	56.84
	Democratic	Rick Wade	463,501	43.13
	Write-in		291	0.03
Total votes			1,074,591	100.00

References

1. "Secretary of State". The State. March 10, 2002. p. 56. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
2. "Bright, energetic McMullen best for secretary of state". The State. June 1, 2002. p. 10. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
3. Wilson, Zane (March 9, 2002). "Republicans weight costs of secretary of state position". Sun-News. p. 19. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
4. "2002 Secretary of State Republican Primary Election Results - South Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. April 10, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
5. "2002 Secretary of State Republican Runoff Election Results - South Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. April 10, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
6. "Rick C. Wade". South Carolina African American History Calendar. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
7. "2002 Secretary of State General Election Results - South Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. January 1, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2025.