Information contained on this page is for general reference purposes only. Information is current at the time of posting and efforts are made to ensure accuracy of information posted here. All candidates should be advised to reference applicable federal, state and local laws to ensure specific requirements are met.
Frequently Asked Questions for Candidates
When is the election?
Primary Election (Partisan Offices)
- Early Voting Period: May 26 – June 5
Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Closed weekends and state holidays) - Election Day: June 9, 2026
- Certification: June 12, 2026
- Protest Deadline for Primary Election: June 15, 2026 at noon
- Runoffs (if needed): June 23, 2026
- Runoff Early Voting Period: June 17 – 19 from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Certification of Runoffs: June 26
- Protest Deadline for Runoffs: June 29, 2026 at noon
General Election
- Early Voting Period: October 19 – 31 from 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. (closed Sunday, October 27)
- Election Day: November 3, 2026
- Certification: No more than 10 days following Election Day
- Protest Deadline: November 11, 2026 at noon
When is the filing period?
- Candidate filing opens on March 16, 2026 at noon.
- Candidate filing closes on March 30, 2026 at noon.
Where do I file?
Candidates for the following contests file at the State Election Commission
- Federal offices
- Statewide offices
- Multi-county offices
Candidates for the following contests can file at the SEC or the County Voter Registration and Elections Office in candidate’s county of residence
- State Senate
- State House of Representatives
Candidates for the following contests file at their County Voter Registration and Elections Office
- Countywide offices
- Less-than-countywide offices
What are the fees to file?
- Candidates seeking the nomination of a party that nominates by primary (Democratic and Republican) must pay a filing fee. Filing fees are calculated by the SEC. Filing fees are one percent of the annual base salary multiplied by the term of office. Filing fees for special elections are prorated. General election year filing fees are posted at scVOTES.gov.
- Candidates seeking the nomination of a party that nominates by convention do not pay a filing fee.
- Filing fees are determined using the base salary for the office in January of each election year. Filing fees are designated by law to offset state costs associated with the conduct of party primaries. (See S.C. Code Section 7-13-40.)
- 2026 Filing Fee Schedule
What are the required documents to file?
- Statement of Intention of Candidacy/Party Pledge Form (SICPP)
- For use by candidates who are seeking a political party’s nomination to run in a general or special election.
- Statement of Intention of Candidacy Form – Nonpartisan
- For use by candidates filing for nonpartisan office.
- Petition Form
- For use by candidates filing a nominating petition. This petition form complies with the specifications prescribed in S.C. Code of Laws Section 7-11-80. This form must be printed in 8.5″ x 14″ format. The form is designed so that some information can be entered into form fields before printing.
- Filing Affidavit (Sheriff)
- For use by candidates for sheriff.
- Filing Affidavit (Coroner)
- For use by candidates for coroner.
- Statement of Economic Interests and Campaign Disclosure
- These forms must be filed online.
- Forms, requirements, and filing instructions are available from the State Ethics Commission: http://ethics.sc.gov/.
Do I have to be a registered voter to file for office?
- No person may be popularly elected to and serve in any office in the State unless they are registered to vote in the geographical area represented by the office (S.C. Constitution, Article VI, Section 1).
Do I need to meet the minimum qualifications for the office to file as a candidate?
- Candidates must be qualified at the time of the election and not at the time of filing or nomination, unless otherwise provided for by law. Candidates for Senate and House must be a resident of the district at the time of filing.
Do I have to file personally or can someone file on my behalf?
- It is not necessary for a candidate to be physically present at the time of filing. An agent can deliver the SICPP (properly completed and signed by the candidate and witnessed by a notary) and the filing fee check on behalf of the candidate.
Are there additional qualifications for candidates who have been convicted of a felony?
- A person convicted of a felony or an offense against the election laws is not qualified to file for or hold office, unless it has been fifteen years since the completion of the sentence for the crime or unless the person has been pardoned (S.C. Constitution, Article VI, Section 1).
How can I trust the accuracy of the results?
- Election officials work to ensure a strong and resilient election infrastructure that will continue to serve South Carolinians in the face of any adversity.
Campaign Ethics Requirements from the State Ethics Commission
- Statement of Economic Interest Form
- Candidates must file a Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) form with the State Ethics Commission. This must be done electronically on the State Ethics Commission website, ethics.sc.gov.
- Campaign Disclosure Form
- Candidates are required to file a Campaign Disclosures Form disclosing all campaign contributions and expenditures.
- An Initial report for candidates is due when you raise or spend a total of $500.00, to include candidates' personal funds or loan to the campaign and the filing fee. For example, if you loan your campaign $300.00 and spend $200.00 you should immediately file an Initial Campaign Disclosure. You must file campaign disclosures every quarter as long as you maintain a balance in your campaign checking account.
- A Pre-Election report must be filed by all candidates no later than 15 days prior to each election. This report is required from all candidates whether there has been any financial campaign activity or not. This report may not be filed earlier than 20 days before the election. Even if you do not raise or spend money on your election, all candidates must file a Pre-Election Campaign Disclosure 15 – 20 days before their election.
- Candidates are required to file a Campaign Disclosures Form disclosing all campaign contributions and expenditures.
Digital and Cybersecurity Tips for Candidates and Campaigns
Use secure accounts, passwords, and devices
- Use a password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts (email, social media, campaign tools, fundraising platforms).
- Limit account sharing—each team member should have their own login.
- Keep all campaign devices (phones, laptops, tablets) updated with the latest security patches.
- Use full-disk encryption on laptops and desktops.
- Require strong device passcodes and enable biometric locks where possible.
- Avoid using personal devices for campaign work.
Protect campaign communications and data
- Be wary of phishing emails/texts—double-check links, attachments, and sender details.
- Train campaign staff to recognize social engineering attempts.
- Store voter lists, donor info, and campaign strategy files in secure cloud platforms with access controls.
- Regularly back up data to a secure, offline location.
- Use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi.
- Secure campaign offices with a separate, password-protected Wi-Fi network for staff.
- Change default passwords on routers and networked printers.
Monitor and report digital threats and issues
- Enable account recovery protections (backup emails, phone numbers).
- Monitor for impersonation social media accounts and websites and report them quickly.
- Be cautious about oversharing personal details that could be used for targeting.
- Provide basic cyber hygiene training (phishing awareness, safe browsing, password practices) for all staff.
- Establish a reporting process for suspicious activity.
- Run tabletop exercises to practice responding to a cyber incident.
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- Have a plan for what to do if accounts are hacked or data is leaked.
- Know who to contact: IT security consultants, the FBI’s election security task force, or state election officials.
- Document incidents and responses.