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Voting history · South Carolina

South Carolina

A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.

This is the state view: events recorded for South Carolina, then national events that apply here. See the national timeline.

Congressional districts in South Carolina

Choose a district to see the events tagged to it. A number after the district is how many events name it.

Kind of event
Decade

In South Carolina

2008

  1. Mar 21, 2008 County Maps and lines Settled

    Court enters consent decree on Georgetown County school board elections

    On March 14, 2008, the United States filed a complaint in United States v. Georgetown County School District (D.S.C.) alleging violations of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, on the ground that the at-large methods of electing the board diluted African American voting strength. The court entered a consent decree on March 21, 2008.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

2004

  1. Nov 29, 2004 County Maps and lines Decided by a court

    Supreme Court denies review of ruling that Charleston County at-large council elections violated Section 2

    The Justice Department alleged in its complaint (D.S.C., listed as filed in 2001) that the at-large method of electing members of the Charleston County council violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. After trial the district court found the method violated Section 2, and the Fourth Circuit affirmed in a decision reported at 365 F.3d 341 (2004). The Department's page says certiorari was denied on November 29, 2004.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  2. Jun 25, 2004 County Laws and rules Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to numbered posts and majority vote for Richland-Lexington School District 5

    In a letter of June 25, 2004, the Justice Department stated that, on behalf of the Attorney General, it must object to the adoption of numbered posts and a majority-vote requirement for electing board members of Richland-Lexington School District No. 5 under Act 326 (2002). The letter reports that about 14 percent of the district's voting-age population was black.

    Counties: Richland County, Lexington County

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

  3. Feb 26, 2004 County Laws and rules Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to partisan elections for the Charleston County School Board

    In a letter listed as dated February 26, 2004, the Justice Department addressed Act R.88 (2003), which changed the method of electing the Charleston County School District board of trustees from nonpartisan to partisan elections. The letter states that, on behalf of the Attorney General, the writer was "compelled to object" to the Act, citing findings in United States v. Charleston County (D.S.C. March 6, 2003).

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

2003

  1. Sep 16, 2003 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in North (Orangeburg County): Annexations

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated September 16, 2003, to North (Orangeburg County). The list describes the change as "Annexations." The list links the objection letter.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  2. Jun 16, 2003 County Laws and rules Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in Cherokee County School District No. 1 (Cherokee County): Reduction in the size of the school board

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated June 16, 2003, to Cherokee County School District No. 1 (Cherokee County). The list describes the change as "Reduction in the size of the school board." The list links the objection letter.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

2002

  1. Dec 9, 2002 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in Clinton (Laurens County): Annexations designation to Ward 1

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated December 9, 2002, to Clinton (Laurens County). The list describes the change as "Annexations designation to Ward 1." The list links the objection letter.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  2. Sep 3, 2002 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in Union County School District (Union County): 2002 redistricting plan

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated September 3, 2002, to Union County School District (Union County). The list describes the change as "2002 redistricting plan." The list links the objection letter.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  3. Jun 27, 2002 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in Sumter County: 2001 redistricting plan

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated June 27, 2002, to Sumter County. The list describes the change as "2001 redistricting plan." The list links the objection letter.

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

2001

  1. Nov 2, 2001 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to a change in Greer (Greenville and Spartanburg Counties): 2001 redistricting plan

    The Justice Department's list of Section 5 objections for South Carolina records an objection letter dated November 2, 2001, to Greer (Greenville and Spartanburg Counties). The list describes the change as "2001 redistricting plan." The list links the objection letter.

    Counties: Greenville County, Spartanburg County

    Source last checked Oct 24, 2026

  2. Oct 12, 2001 County Maps and lines Blocked by federal objection

    Justice Department objects under Section 5 to the City of Charleston's 2001 council plan

    In a letter of October 12, 2001, the Justice Department stated that, on behalf of the Attorney General, it must object to the City of Charleston's 2001 redistricting plan. The letter says the plan would reduce the number of majority-minority council districts from six to five, and it questions combining existing District 2 with District 4 given projected growth on Daniel Island, in the Berkeley County portion of the city.

    Counties: Charleston County, Berkeley County

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

Nationwide

2009

  1. Oct 28, 2009 National Laws and rules Enacted

    Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act becomes law

    Section 575 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84, dated October 28, 2009) may be cited as the "Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act." It adds a requirement that states transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter not later than 45 days before a federal election, when the request is received at least 45 days before it.

    Related: Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act becomes law

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

  2. Jun 22, 2009 National Courts and officials Decided by a court

    Supreme Court decides Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District No. One v. Holder

    On June 22, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Voting Rights Act "must be interpreted to permit all political subdivisions, including the district, to seek to bail out from the preclearance requirements," and so did not decide the constitutional question. The syllabus also says the Act "now raises serious constitutional concerns."

    Related: Voting Rights Act reauthorized and amended in 2006 · Supreme Court decides Shelby County v. Holder

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

  3. Mar 9, 2009 National Courts and officials Decided by a court

    Supreme Court decides Bartlett v. Strickland

    On March 9, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a North Carolina ruling. A three-Justice opinion concluded that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act "does not require state officials to draw election-district lines to allow a racial minority that would make up less than 50 percent of the voting-age population in the redrawn district to join with crossover voters to elect the minority's candidate of choice."

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

2008

  1. Apr 28, 2008 National Courts and officials Upheld

    Supreme Court decides Crawford v. Marion County Election Board

    On April 28, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the ruling upholding Indiana's photo identification law (SEA 483). Justice Stevens, joined by two other Justices, concluded that "the evidence in the record does not support a facial attack on SEA 483's validity."

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

2006

  1. Oct 20, 2006 National Courts and officials Decided by a court

    Supreme Court decides Purcell v. Gonzalez

    On October 20, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a Ninth Circuit order that had blocked Arizona's new voter identification requirements before the November election. The Court said that vacating the order "shall of necessity allow the election to proceed without an injunction suspending the requirements" and expressed "no opinion on the correct disposition of the appeals."

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

  2. Jul 27, 2006 National Laws and rules Enacted

    Voting Rights Act reauthorized and amended in 2006

    Public Law 109-246, dated July 27, 2006, may be cited as the "Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006." Among other changes it amended Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and replaced the references to the 1982 amendments in Section 4(a).

    Related: Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982 become law · Supreme Court decides Shelby County v. Holder

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

  3. Jun 28, 2006 National Courts and officials Decided by a court

    Supreme Court decides LULAC v. Perry

    On June 28, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court decided challenges to Texas's 2003 congressional redistricting. The Court's syllabus says "Texas' redrawing of District 23's lines amounts to vote dilution violative of § 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965."

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

2002

  1. Oct 29, 2002 National Laws and rules Enacted

    Help America Vote Act of 2002 becomes law

    Public Law 107-252, dated October 29, 2002, is titled, in part, "To establish a program to provide funds to States to replace punch card voting systems, to establish the Election Assistance Commission" to assist in the administration of federal elections, and "to establish minimum election administration standards for States and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of Federal elections."

    Source last checked Oct 20, 2026

2000

  1. Dec 12, 2000 National Courts and officials Decided by a court

    Supreme Court decides Bush v. Gore

    On December 12, 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a per curiam opinion, reversed the Florida Supreme Court's order for manual recounts. The Court's syllabus says "any recount seeking to meet 3 U.S.C. § 5's December 12 'safe-harbor' date would be unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause."

    Source last checked Oct 23, 2026

How this timeline is built

Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.

When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.