Elections & Voting
South Carolina Republican voters return to the polls Tuesday, August 25, for a special U.S. Senate primary runoff between appointed Sen. Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman. The State Election Commission scheduled the runoff after no candidate won a majority in the crowded August 11 primary. Graham led with about 33 percent and Norman followed with about 24 percent, according to reported unofficial returns. Certification and the state’s official result—not campaign declarations—control the nomination.
The contest was triggered by Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death in July. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve temporarily, and President Trump endorsed her campaign for the full term beginning next year. Norman argues that his congressional and business experience make him the stronger nominee. Those are campaign cases, not election-administration facts. The immediate procedural question is who may vote and where.
State election officials say early voting ran from August 19 through August 21. On Election Day, polls follow the hours and locations announced by county and state authorities. Voters who participated in another party’s corresponding primary may face party-primary restrictions, while eligible voters who did not participate in the first round should verify the governing rule with the election commission. Social posts and campaign texts should never be the sole source for a polling-place change.
Results Tuesday night will begin as unofficial county reports. Close totals can shift as precincts report, provisional ballots are reviewed and canvasses occur. News organizations may project a winner, but a projection is not certification. The nominee will appear on the November 3 general-election ballot. Campaigns also must file reports under the Federal Election Commission’s special-election calendar, giving voters a record of receipts, spending and late independent expenditures.
Beast ballot check: confirmed are the August 25 date, the two candidates and the official special-election schedule. Disputed are campaign claims about qualifications, endorsements and electability. Unknown are turnout, the unofficial margin and the certified nominee. Expected next are Election Day reporting, canvass and certification. Use SCVotes.gov for official instructions, county offices for local changes and the FEC for finance deadlines. A fast special election still requires the same chain of custody from ballot to certified result.
Voters needing an absentee or provisional-ballot remedy should contact election officials promptly and keep any issued documentation. Campaign volunteers can assist with general information, but only authorized officials resolve registration records and ballot status. That division protects voters and prevents partisan messages from becoming unofficial election instructions.
Sources
- South Carolina State Election Commission — Early Voting for U.S. Senate Special Republican Primary Runoff Begins August 19 (08-12-2026)
- Federal Election Commission — 2026 South Carolina Republican Party Senate primary/runoff election report notice (07-2026)
- Associated Press — Trump urges South Carolinians to make Sen. Darline Graham the GOP nominee (08-21-2026)