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1976 United States presidential election in South Carolina

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Main article: 1976 United States presidential election
1976 United States presidential election in South Carolina
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1980 →
 
Nominee Jimmy Carter Gerald Ford
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Georgia Michigan
Running mate Walter Mondale Bob Dole
Electoral vote 8 0
Popular vote 450,825 346,140
Percentage 56.17% 43.13%
County Results
President before election

Gerald Ford
Republican

Elected President

Jimmy Carter
Democratic

Elections in South Carolina
Federal government
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U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
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Gubernatorial elections
State Senate elections
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Charleston
Mayoral elections
Columbia
Mayoral elections
Rock Hill
Mayoral elections
Greenville
Mayoral elections

The 1976 United States presidential election in South Carolina took place on November 2, 1976. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were part of the 1976 United States presidential election. South Carolina voters chose eight electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Despite fluctuating polls, Carter would carry South Carolina by a margin of 13.04 points over Ford.[1]

Ford managed to carry just three of South Carolina's counties, whereas Richard Nixon had carried all 46 counties four years earlier. As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last time that the Democratic nominee carried South Carolina, the last time a Democrat won Horry, Spartanburg, Berkeley, Beaufort, Dorchester, Florence, Pickens, Kershaw, and Newberry,[2] and the last time a Democrat swept every congressional district in the state.

Campaign

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Both major party nominees, Democrat former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, with running mate Walter Mondale, and Republican President Gerald Ford with running mate Senator Bob Dole, campaigned in the state during the fall campaign. Ford did not target the state in late September at the beginning of his re-election campaign,[3] but did visit Columbia in late October as polling day approached, when he was joined by Carter two days subsequently.[4] After Ford’s visit, it was said he was not a factor in South Carolina and that the election hinged on approval or disapproval of Carter.[5] Carter himself campaigned more extensively with his eldest son Jack working in the Sixth Congressional District, and other members of his “Peanut Brigade” touring most major population centers.[6]

55% of white voters supported Ford while 44% supported Carter.[7][8]

Predictions

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Source Rating As of
The Atlanta Constitution[9] Lean R September 13, 1976
The Charlotte Observer[10] Likely D (flip) October 19, 1976
The Times and Democrat[11] Tilt D (flip) October 26, 1976
Kansas City Times[12] Lean D (flip) October 26, 1976
Daily News[13] Tossup October 27, 1976
Sun Herald[14] Likely D (flip) October 31, 1976
Austin American-Statesman[15] Tossup October 31, 1976

Results

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1976 United States presidential election in South Carolina[1]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic Jimmy Carter 450,825 56.17% 8
Republican Gerald Ford (incumbent) 346,140 43.13% 0
Independent Thomas Anderson 2,997 0.37% 0
American Lester Maddox 1,951 0.24% 0
Write-ins Write-ins 681[a] 0.08% 0
Totals 802,594 99.99% 8
Voter turnout –

Results by county

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County[16] Jimmy Carter
Democratic 		Gerald Ford
Republican 		Thomas Anderson
Independent 		Lester Maddox
American 		Margin Total
# % # % # % # % # %
Abbeville 4,700 72.06% 1,791 27.46% 19 0.29% 12 0.18% 2,909 44.60% 6,522
Aiken 14,927 47.88% 16,011 51.36% 80 0.26% 155 0.50% -1,084 -3.48% 31,173
Allendale 2,634 71.02% 1,064 28.69% 4 0.11% 7 0.19% 1,570 42.33% 3,709
Anderson 19,002 66.32% 9,496 33.14% 96 0.34% 60 0.21% 9,506 33.18% 28,654
Bamberg 3,330 63.84% 1,849 35.45% 19 0.36% 18 0.35% 1,481 28.39% 5,216
Barnwell 4,083 61.38% 2,569 38.62% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 1,514 22.76% 6,652
Beaufort 6,049 50.29% 5,935 49.34% 25 0.21% 20 0.17% 114 0.95% 12,029
Berkeley 9,741 58.05% 6,981 41.60% 27 0.16% 32 0.19% 2,760 16.45% 16,781
Calhoun 2,055 59.29% 1,382 39.87% 22 0.63% 7 0.20% 673 19.42% 3,466
Charleston 34,328 49.64% 34,010 49.18% 445 0.64% 372 0.54% 318 0.46% 69,155
Cherokee 7,765 66.19% 3,931 33.51% 17 0.14% 19 0.16% 3,834 32.68% 11,732
Chester 5,200 63.32% 2,982 36.31% 18 0.22% 12 0.15% 2,218 27.01% 8,212
Chesterfield 7,687 75.04% 2,537 24.77% 11 0.11% 9 0.09% 5,150 50.27% 10,244
Clarendon 5,489 64.13% 3,040 35.52% 14 0.16% 16 0.19% 2,449 28.61% 8,559
Colleton 5,134 60.24% 3,324 39.00% 34 0.40% 30 0.35% 1,810 21.24% 8,522
Darlington 10,165 60.16% 6,678 39.52% 26 0.15% 28 0.17% 3,487 20.64% 16,897
Dillon 5,089 66.62% 2,527 33.08% 10 0.13% 13 0.17% 2,562 33.54% 7,639
Dorchester 8,046 54.44% 6,695 45.30% 19 0.13% 19 0.13% 1,351 9.14% 14,779
Edgefield 3,216 62.60% 1,879 36.58% 17 0.33% 25 0.49% 1,337 26.02% 5,137
Fairfield 4,153 69.36% 1,817 30.34% 11 0.18% 7 0.12% 2,336 39.02% 5,988
Florence 16,294 54.49% 13,539 45.27% 27 0.09% 44 0.15% 2,755 9.22% 29,904
Georgetown 7,169 63.54% 4,058 35.97% 34 0.30% 22 0.19% 3,111 27.57% 11,283
Greenville 35,943 47.31% 39,099 51.46% 796 1.05% 143 0.19% -3,156 -4.15% 75,981
Greenwood 9,976 62.39% 5,974 37.36% 17 0.11% 24 0.15% 4,002 25.03% 15,991
Hampton 3,923 68.56% 1,773 30.99% 11 0.19% 15 0.26% 2,150 37.57% 5,722
Horry 15,720 62.59% 9,339 37.18% 15 0.06% 43 0.17% 6,381 25.41% 25,117
Jasper 2,903 70.12% 1,221 29.49% 6 0.14% 10 0.24% 1,682 40.63% 4,140
Kershaw 6,211 50.08% 6,126 49.40% 36 0.29% 29 0.23% 85 0.68% 12,402
Lancaster 8,324 62.19% 4,997 37.33% 37 0.28% 27 0.20% 3,327 24.86% 13,385
Laurens 7,440 57.98% 5,300 41.31% 54 0.42% 37 0.29% 2,140 16.67% 12,831
Lee 3,869 61.86% 2,357 37.69% 12 0.19% 16 0.26% 1,512 24.17% 6,254
Lexington 14,339 39.75% 21,442 59.43% 183 0.51% 113 0.31% -7,103 -19.68% 36,077
Marion 5,927 65.74% 3,076 34.12% 7 0.08% 6 0.07% 2,851 31.62% 9,016
Marlboro 5,409 73.32% 1,961 26.58% 2 0.03% 5 0.07% 3,448 46.74% 7,377
McCormick 1,774 73.09% 640 26.37% 5 0.21% 8 0.33% 1,134 46.72% 2,427
Newberry 5,034 50.26% 4,931 49.23% 24 0.24% 27 0.27% 103 1.03% 10,016
Oconee 8,447 68.61% 3,805 30.90% 41 0.33% 19 0.15% 4,642 37.71% 12,312
Orangeburg 13,652 60.40% 8,794 38.90% 108 0.48% 50 0.22% 4,858 21.50% 22,604
Pickens 8,505 51.07% 8,029 48.21% 95 0.57% 26 0.16% 476 2.86% 16,655
Richland 36,855 52.68% 32,727 46.78% 211 0.30% 169 0.24% 4,128 5.90% 69,962
Saluda 2,715 56.11% 2,085 43.09% 25 0.52% 14 0.29% 630 13.02% 4,839
Spartanburg 27,925 57.32% 20,456 41.99% 223 0.46% 113 0.23% 7,469 15.33% 48,717
Sumter 10,471 52.59% 9,332 46.87% 56 0.28% 53 0.27% 1,139 5.72% 19,912
Union 6,363 64.51% 3,463 35.11% 13 0.13% 24 0.24% 2,900 29.40% 9,863
Williamsburg 8,745 62.22% 5,275 37.53% 10 0.07% 25 0.18% 3,470 24.69% 14,055
York 14,099 58.73% 9,843 41.00% 35 0.15% 28 0.12% 4,256 17.73% 24,005
Totals 450,825 56.17% 346,140 43.13% 2,997 0.37% 1,951 0.24% 104,685 13.04% 802,594

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Notes

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  1. ^ These write-in votes were not separated by county, but given only as a state-wide total.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "1976 Presidential General Election Results — South Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  3. ^ Bandy, Lee (September 17, 1976). "Ford Starts Southern Swing on Sept. 25". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. p. 11-B.
  4. ^ "Ford in Columbia Today; Carter Tuesday". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. October 23, 1976. p. 1A.
  5. ^ Evans, Rowland; Novak, Robert. "Ford Sticks to the Script". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. p. 1-A.
  6. ^ "Carter, "Peanut Brigade", Coming to S.C.". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. October 25, 1976. pp. 1A, 4A.
  7. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  8. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  9. ^ Joyce, Faye S. (September 13, 1976). "Southerners Favour Carter, Poll Shows". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 2-A.
  10. ^ Eichel, Henry (October 19, 1976). "Buoyed by Poll, Ford to Campaign at S.C. Fair". The Charlotte Observer. p. 1B.
  11. ^ Rowland, Ed (October 26, 1976). "S.C. Votes Could Go to Republican Again". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. p. 1B.
  12. ^ Patterson, Kathleen (October 26, 1976). "South Still Hard To Peg". Kansas City Times. Kansas City, Missouri. p. 10.
  13. ^ "Convention Wounds Remain". Daily News. New York City. October 27, 1976. p. 45.
  14. ^ "Political Science Majors Predict Ford Win". Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. October 31, 1976. p. D-11.
  15. ^ "Electoral Votes: A Photo Finish — Polls". Austin American-Statesman. October 31, 1976. pp. A1, A6.
  16. ^ a b "SC US President Race, November 02, 1976". Our Campaigns.

Works cited

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