South Carolina Senate

Last updated
South Carolina State Senate
South Carolina General Assembly
Seal of the South Carolina Senate.webp
Seal of the South Carolina Senate
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 9, 2024
Leadership
Thomas Alexander (R)
since December 6, 2021
Majority Leader
Shane Massey (R)
since April 6, 2016
Minority Leader
Brad Hutto (D)
since November 17, 2020
Structure
Seats46
SC Senate 2024.svg
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (34)

Minority

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle III, South Carolina Constitution
Salary$10,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 5, 2024
(46 seats)
Next election
2028 South Carolina Senate election
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
South Carolina State Senate chamber IMG 4757.JPG
State Senate Chamber
South Carolina State House
Columbia, South Carolina
Website
South Carolina Senate
Rules
Rules of the Senate of South Carolina
A diagram of the Senate Chamber, 1917 SC Legislative Manual 1918 (p. 2 & 3).png
A diagram of the Senate Chamber, 1917

The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives. It consists of 46 senators elected from single member districts for four-year terms at the same time as United States presidential elections.

Contents

The South Carolina Constitution of 1895 provided for each county to elect one senator for a four-year term. The election of senators was staggered so that half of the state Senate was elected every two years. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1964 for the case Reynolds v. Sims , the state Senate was reapportioned in 1966 as a temporary measure into 27 districts with 50 members for two-year terms. In 1967, the state Senate was again reapportioned, this time into 20 districts with 46 members for four-year terms. The number of districts was reduced to 16 in 1972 and in 1984, they were eliminated with the creation of single member districts.

The annual session of the General Assembly convenes at the State Capitol Building in Columbia on the second Tuesday of January of each year. However, after convening, either the House or the Senate may call for itself a 30-day recess by a majority vote, or a longer recess by a two-thirds vote. [1]

Composition

AffiliationParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic IndependentVacant
Start of 2023 Session30151460
Current30151460
Latest voting share

Members of the South Carolina Senate

Except as noted, all senators were elected in November 2020 and terms began on January 12, 2021. All terms expire in January 2025.

DistrictRepresentativePartyResidenceFirst Elected
1 Thomas C. Alexander, presidentRepublican Walhalla 1994*
2 Rex Rice Republican Easley 2016
3 Richard Cash Republican Powdersville 2017*
4 Michael Gambrell Republican Honea Path 2016*
5 Tom Corbin Republican Travelers Rest 2012
6 Jason Elliott Republican Greenville 2024
7 Karl B. Allen Democratic Greenville 2012
8 Ross Turner Republican Greenville 2012
9 Danny Verdin Republican Laurens 2000
10 Billy Garrett Republican Greenwood 2020
11 Josh Kimbrell Republican Inman 2020
12 Roger Nutt Republican Moore 2024
13 Shane Martin Republican Spartanburg 2008
14 Harvey S. Peeler Jr. Republican Gaffney 1980
15 Wes Climer Republican Rock Hill 2016
16 Michael Johnson Republican Tega Cay 2020
17 Everett Stubbs Republican Rock Hill 2024
18 Ronnie Cromer Republican Prosperity 2003*
19 Tameika Isaac Devine Democratic Columbia 2024*
20 Ed Sutton Democratic Columbia 2024
21 Darrell Jackson Democratic Hopkins 1992
22 Overture Walker Democratic Columbia 2024
23 Carlisle Kennedy Republican Lexington 2024
24 Tom Young Jr. Republican Aiken 2012
25 A. Shane Massey Republican Edgefield 2007*
26 Russell Ott DemocraticColumbia2024
27 Allen Blackmon RepublicanHeath Springs2024
28 Greg Hembree Republican North Myrtle Beach 2012
29 JD Chaplin RepublicanDarlington2024
30 Kent M. Williams Democratic Marion 2004
31 Mike Reichenbach Republican Florence 2022*
32 Ronnie A. Sabb Democratic Greeleyville 2014*
33 Luke A. Rankin Republican Myrtle Beach 1992
34 Stephen Goldfinch Republican Murrells Inlet 2016
35 Jeffrey R. Graham Democratic Camden 2024
36 Jeff Zell RepublicanSumter2024
37 Larry Grooms Republican Bonneau 1997*
38 Sean Bennett Republican Summerville 2012
39 Tom Fernandez RepublicanSummerville2024
40 Brad Hutto Democratic Orangeburg 1996*
41 Matt Leber RepublicanJohn's Island2024
42 Deon Tedder Democratic Charleston 2023*
43 Chip Campsen Republican Isle of Palms 2004
44 Brian Adams Republican Goose Creek 2020
45 Margie Bright Matthews Democratic Charleston 2015*
46 Tom Davis Republican Beaufort 2008
*Senator was first elected in a special election

Composition of the Senate over time

Year Democratic
Party
Republican
Party
Independent
/ Other

Majority
1865003131
18686 [a] 25019
1870526121
1872825017
18740267 [b] 19
1876151803
1878285023
1880332031
1882332031
1884323029
1886332031
1888350035
1890323029
1892360036
18942907 [c] 22
1896360036
1898–
1908
410041
1910–
1916
440044
1918–
1964
460046
1966436137
1968473044
1970442042
1972433040
1976424038
1980397032
19843610026
19883511024
19923016014
1996252104
200022 [d] 24 [d] 02
20042026 [e] 06
2008192708
20121828010
20161828010
2020 [2] 15 [f] 30114
  1. The election of a Democrat from Abbeville was declared void and the seat remained vacant.
  2. All 7 were members of the Conservative Party of South Carolina.
  3. All 7 were Independent Democrats.
  4. 1 2 After the 2000 elections, the Senate was evenly split between 23 Democrats and 23 Republicans. A Democrat, J. Verne Smith of Greer, switched to the Republicans to break the tie.
  5. Republicans gained an additional seat in a 2007 special election.
  6. One independent, Mia McLeod, was formerly a member of the Democratic Party until January 10, 2023.

See also

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References

  1. "ARTICLE 3. Legislative Department., SECTION 9. Sessions of General Assembly". 2010 South Carolina Constitution – Unannotated. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  2. "South Carolina Election Results". The New York Times . 4 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.

33°50′10″N81°09′49″W / 33.836081°N 81.1637245°W / 33.836081; -81.1637245