Handbook·Elections

Running for office in South Carolina

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

This page covers what's specific to South Carolina. Start with the general guide for the steps every candidate follows regardless of state.

Filing in South Carolina

You file a Statement of Intention of Candidacy and Party Pledge if seeking a party's nomination, or a nonpartisan Statement of Intention of Candidacy if the office is nonpartisan. Where you file depends on the office. Federal, statewide, and multi-county races file with the State Election Commission (SEC). State Senate and House candidates can file at either the SEC or their County Voter Registration and Elections Office. Countywide or smaller local offices file only at the county office.

You don't need to appear in person. An agent can deliver the signed and notarized filing paperwork with the filing fee check. You must be registered to vote in the area the office represents, and state Senate and House candidates must reside in their district at the time of filing. Candidates also file a Statement of Economic Interests and campaign disclosure reports electronically with the State Ethics Commission at ethics.sc.gov.

Deadlines and numbers

  • 2026 filing window: opened noon March 16, closed noon March 30
  • Filing fee: 1 percent of the office's annual salary multiplied by the term length, for candidates seeking a primary-nominating party's line. 2026 fees ranged from $208 (state House) to $10,440 (U.S. Senate)
  • Candidates nominated by party convention pay no filing fee
  • Statewide petition candidates need 10,000 valid signatures from active registered SC voters, filed by noon on July 15 of the general election year

The dossier could not separately confirm petition signature thresholds for county or municipal (non-statewide) petition candidates. The 10,000-signature figure applies to statewide/petition candidates and may differ locally. Check with your County Voter Registration and Elections Office, or ask in /engage.

Where to go

  • South Carolina Election Commission, candidate filing and office-specific requirements: scvotes.gov/candidates
  • Your County Voter Registration and Elections Office for countywide and municipal offices