The South Carolina State Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The lower house is the South Carolina House of Representatives. The Senate comprises 46 senators elected from single-member districts for four-year terms, coinciding with United States presidential elections.
The South Carolina Constitution of 1895 initially stipulated that each county would elect one senator for a four-year term, with elections staggered biennially. Following the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Reynolds v. Sims, the Senate underwent reapportionment. A temporary measure in 1966 established 27 districts with 50 members serving two-year terms. In 1967, the Senate was again reapportioned into 20 districts with 46 members, serving four-year terms. The number of districts was reduced to 16 in 1972, and by 1984, the state adopted a system of single-member districts.
The General Assembly convenes annually at the State Capitol Building in Columbia on the second Tuesday of January. Either the House or the Senate may, by a majority vote, declare a 30-day recess, or a longer recess with a two-thirds vote.
Composition AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantRepublicanDemocraticIndependentStart of 2023 Session 30151460Start of 2025 Session 34120460Latest voting share
Members of the South Carolina Senate Except as noted, all senators were elected in November 2024 and terms began on January 14, 2025. All terms expire in January of 2029.
District NamePartyResidence Start1RepublicanWalhalla19942RepublicanEasley20163RepublicanPowdersville20174RepublicanHonea Path20165RepublicanTravelers Rest20126RepublicanGreenville20247DemocraticGreenville20128RepublicanGreenville20129RepublicanLaurens200010RepublicanGreenwood202011RepublicanInman202012RepublicanRoebuck202513RepublicanSpartanburg200814RepublicanGaffney198015RepublicanRock Hill201616RepublicanTega Cay202017RepublicanRock Hill202418RepublicanProsperity200319DemocraticColumbia202420DemocraticNorth Charleston202421DemocraticHopkins199222DemocraticColumbia202423RepublicanLexington202424RepublicanAiken201225RepublicanEdgefield200726DemocraticColumbia202427RepublicanHeath Springs202428RepublicanNorth Myrtle Beach201229RepublicanDarlington202430DemocraticMarion200431Republican Florence202232DemocraticGreeleyville201433RepublicanConway199234RepublicanMurrells Inlet201635DemocraticCamden202436RepublicanSumter202437RepublicanBonneau199738RepublicanSummerville201239RepublicanSummerville202440DemocraticOrangeburg199641RepublicanJohn's Island202442DemocraticCharleston202343RepublicanIsle of Palms200444RepublicanGoose Creek202045DemocraticCharleston201546RepublicanBeaufort2008
Composition of the Senate over time
Year DemocraticParty RepublicanParty Independent/ Other Majority 1865 0 0 31 31 1868 6The election of a Democrat from Abbeville was declared void and the seat remained vacant. 25 019 1870 5 26 121 1872 8 25 017 1874 0 26 7All 7 were members of the Conservative Party of South Carolina.19 1876 15 18 03 1878 28 5 023 1880 33 2 031 1882 33 2 031 1884 32 3 029 1886 33 2 031 1888 35 0 035 1890 32 3 029 1892 36 0 036 1894 29 0 7All 7 were Independent Democrats.22 1896 36 0 036 1898–1908 41 0 041 1910–1916 44 0 044 1918–1964 46 0 046 1966 43 6 137 1968 47 3 044 1970 44 2 042 1972 43 3 040 1976 42 4 038 1980 39 7 032 1984 36 10 026 1988 35 11 024 1992 30 16 014 1996 25 21 04 2000 22After 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. 24 02 2004 20 26Republicans gained an additional seat in a 2007 special election. 06 2008 19 27 08 2012 18 28 010 2016 18 28 010 2020 15 30 114 2024 12 34 022
See also List of South Carolina state legislatures
References
Dubin, Michael J. (2007) Party affiliations in the state legislatures : a year by year summary, 1796–2006.
External links South Carolina Senate allows users to track legislative information via custom reports, tracking lists or subscription services. Services are provided via web search or Palm Pilot. The South Carolina Senate Democratic Caucus The South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus