South Carolina 2026 voter guide: Here’s everything you need to know ahead of midterms

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTV) - Election Day is right around the corner, and the results could shape not just South Carolina’s future, but the country’s as a whole.

Voters will have big decisions to make at both the state and federal levels.

The Palmetto State will soon have a new governor for the first time since 2017, as outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited. At the congressional level, the seat held for decades by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham is up for grabs, and one U.S. House district in South Carolina is shaping up to be a close race.

---> Also Read: North Carolina 2026 voter guide: Here’s everything you need to know ahead of midterms

Both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House races in South Carolina could contribute to a potential shift in balance of power in Congress.

A closer look at each of the major races is below.

Important dates to remember

• Saturday, Oct. 31 -- In-person early voting ends at 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3 -- Election Day, absentee ballot return deadline at 7 p.m.

Early in-person voting

Early voting runs Oct. 19-31 with early voting ending at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. Early voting centers are open 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, they are closed on Sunday, Oct. 25.

To find an early voting poll location click here. Voters on Election Day Nov. 3 are required to vote at their assigned polling place.

Dropping off your absentee ballot

Are you voting by mail this election?

After you receive and complete the absentee ballot you received in the mail, voters can drop it off at their county voter registration office by mail or personal delivery.

All completed absentee ballots must be turned in by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

How to see your sample ballot

Want to plan ahead before going to the polls? A sample ballot allows voters to see their ballot prior to Election Day.

You can click here to look up a sample of your ballot on the South Carolina Election Commission website.

South Carolina photo ID requirements

• Voters in South Carolina must have one of the following when voting:
• South Carolina driver’s license
• South Carolina DMV ID card
• South Carolina voter registration card with photo
• Federal military ID
• Concealed weapons permit
• Temporary identification certificate, or US Passport

If voters forget to bring their photo ID to the polling place you can vote on a provisional ballot that will count only if you show your photo ID to the county elections office before the certification of the election, on Friday after the statewide general election.

If voters can’t get a photo ID, remember to bring your non-photo voter registration card with you to the polling place.

You may vote a provisional ballot after signing an affidavit stating you have a reasonable impediment to obtaining a photo ID.

What’s on the ballot in South Carolina?

South Carolina voters will have some big decisions to make this fall, including at both the state and federal levels.

The last time South Carolina got a new governor was in January 2017, when Nikki Haley resigned to join President Trump’s first administration. Current Gov. Henry McMaster was sworn in to fill the rest of Haley’s term, then was elected in 2018 and 2022.

McMaster -- who is limited to two elected terms -- will leave office as the longest-serving governor in state history.

A crowded field fought to replace McMaster as the Republican nominee. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff, where Wilson earned his party’s nomination.

Wilson will run against Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson. Wilson holds a seemingly comfortable lead in the polls.

One of South Carolina’s two U.S. Senate seats is up for grabs in 2026, and the race has grabbed national attention.

Late Sen. Lindsey Graham won the Republican Party’s primary back in June, but passed away weeks later. He was first elected to the Senate seat in 2002.

Following Graham’s death, his younger sister -- Darline Graham Nordone -- was appointed to fill the remainder of his term.

A special Republican primary was set up and another crowded field fought for the nomination. Darline Graham advanced to a runoff, where Graham eventually secured the nomination. She is running against Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews in the general election.

Graham had held a narrow lead in polls, but just days from Election Day, the race has become a toss-up.

Republicans currently hold a 53-45 majority in the Senate, with two independents mixed in who typically side with Democrats. That balance may shift in Democrats’ favor, but if that is to happen, Andrews would likely have to be part of it.

Perhaps more likely than the U.S. Senate to see a shift in power is the U.S. House of Representatives.

South Carolina’s 1st congressional district has flip-flopped in recent elections, and the Republican incumbent is not in the race. Nancy Mace chose not to run for re-election in the House district when she opted to pursue the governor’s office.

Now, Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt and Democrat Nancy Lacore are fighting to take the seat.

Polls give Honeycutt a narrow lead, but the district was won by a Democrat as recently as 2018. The Cook Political Report listed the district as “Lean Republican” as of this writing.

Republicans enter November’s election with a narrow 220-215 majority in the U.S. House, but are expected to lose that majority.

Watch more election explainers here

To help get Carolina residents ready to vote, WBTV streamed election explainers each Tuesday in October.

WBTV anchor Darrell Greene and investigative reporter David Hodges have been breaking down referendums, major races, and more in both North Carolina and South Carolina.

You can watch previous episodes by clicking on the links below:

• Breaking down 2026 US Senate races in North, South Carolina
• Breaking down North Carolina General Assembly, supermajority makeup this 2026 election
• Breaking down North Carolina’s voter ID referendum + more in Charlotte region
• Breaking down 2026 property, income tax referendums on the North Carolina ballot

Click here for more election news and information