South Carolina Senate
913618
220434713
2008-06-19T21:09:10Z
Bentley4
3454040
/* Make-up of South Carolina Senate */
The '''South Carolina Senate''' is the upper house of the [[South Carolina General Assembly]], the lower house being the [[South Carolina House of Representatives]]. It consists of 46 senators elected from single member districts for four-year terms at the same time as [[United States presidential election|United States Presidential elections]].
The South Carolina Constitution of 1895 provided for each [[List of South Carolina counties|county]] to elect one senator for a four-year term. The election of senators was staggered so that half of the state Senate was elected every two years. After the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled in 1964 for the case ''[[Reynolds v. Sims]]'', the state Senate was reapportioned in 1966 as a temporary measure into 27 districts with 50 members for two-year terms. In 1967, the state Senate was again reapportioned, this time into 20 districts with 46 members for four-year terms. The number of districts was reduced to 16 in 1972 and in 1984, they were eliminated with the creation of single member districts.
== Make-up of South Carolina Senate ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="center" valign="top" | '''Affiliation'''
| valign="top" | '''Members'''<br>
|-
|{{American politics/party colours/Republican}}|
| [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]]
| 27
|-
|{{American politics/party colours/Democratic}}|
| [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]
| 19
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" | '''Total'''<br>
| '''46'''
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="1" | '''Majority'''<br>
| '''8'''
|}
===Leadership===
Lieutenant Governor [[André Bauer]] (R) is the President of the Senate, [[Glenn F. McConnell]] (R-[[Charleston County, South Carolina|Charleston]]) is the President Pro Tempore, and [[John W. Drummond]] (D-[[Greenwood County, South Carolina|Greenwood County]]) is the President Pro Tempore Emeritus.
===Members of the South Carolina Senate===
Except as noted, all Senators were elected in November 2004. All terms expire in November 2008.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <th>'''District'''</th><th>'''Senator'''</th><th>'''Party'''</th><th>'''Residence'''</th><tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>1</td><td>[[Thomas C. Alexander (politician)|Thomas C. Alexander]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Walhalla, South Carolina|Walhalla]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>2</td><td>[[Larry A. Martin]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Pickens, South Carolina|Pickens]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>3</td><td>[[Kevin L. Bryant]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Anderson, South Carolina|Anderson]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>4</td><td>[[William H. O'Dell]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Greenwood, South Carolina|Greenwood]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>5</td><td>[[Lewis R. Vaughn]] (1)</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Greer, South Carolina|Greer]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>6</td><td>[[Michael L. Fair]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>7</td><td>[[Ralph Anderson (politician)|Ralph Anderson]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>8</td><td>[[David L. Thomas]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>9</td><td>[[Daniel B. Verdin III]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Laurens, South Carolina|Laurens]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>10</td><td>[[John W. Drummond]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Ninety Six, South Carolina|Ninety Six]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>11</td><td>[[Glenn G. Reese]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Inman, South Carolina|Inman]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>12</td><td>[[John D. Hawkins]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>13</td><td>[[James H. Ritchie, Jr.]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>14</td><td>[[Harvey S. Peeler, Jr.]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Gaffney, South Carolina|Gaffney]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>15</td><td>[[Robert W. Hayes, Jr.]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Rock Hill, South Carolina|Rock Hill]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>16</td><td>[[Chauncey K. Gregory]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Lancaster, South Carolina|Lancaster]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>17</td><td>[[Linda H. Short]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Chester, South Carolina|Chester]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>18</td><td>[[Ronnie W. Cromer]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Prosperity, South Carolina|Prosperity]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>19</td><td>[[Kay Patterson (South Carolina politician)|Kay Patterson]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>20</td><td>[[John E. Courson]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Richland County, South Carolina|Richland County]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>21</td><td>[[Darrell Jackson (politician)|Darrell Jackson]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Hopkins, South Carolina|Hopkins]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>22</td><td>[[Joel Lourie]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>23</td><td>[[John M. Knotts, Jr.]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[West Columbia, South Carolina|West Columbia]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>24</td><td>[[W. Greg Ryberg]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Aiken, South Carolina|Aiken]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>25</td><td>[[A. Shane Massey]] (2)</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Edgefield, South Carolina|Edgefield]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>26</td><td>[[Nikki G. Setzler]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[West Columbia, South Carolina|West Columbia]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>27</td><td>[[Vincent A. Sheheen]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Camden, South Carolina|Camden]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>28</td><td>[[Dick Elliott (politician)|Dick Elliott]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|North Myrtle Beach]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>29</td><td>[[Gerald Malloy]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Hartsville, South Carolina|Hartsville]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>30</td><td>[[Kent M. Williams]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Marion, South Carolina|Marion]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>31</td><td>[[Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr.]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Florence, South Carolina|Florence]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>32</td><td>[[J. Yancey McGill]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Kingstree, South Carolina|Kingstree]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>33</td><td>[[Luke A. Rankin]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>34</td><td>[[Raymond E. Cleary III]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Murrells Inlet, South Carolina|Murrells Inlet]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>35</td><td>[[Phil P. Leventis]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Sumter, South Carolina|Sumter]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>36</td><td>[[John C. Land III]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Manning, South Carolina|Manning]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>37</td><td>[[Lawrence K. Grooms]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Bonneau, South Carolina|Bonneau]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>38</td><td>[[Randy Scott (politician)|Randy Scott]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Summerville, South Carolina|Summerville]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>39</td><td>[[John W. Matthews, Jr.]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Bowman, South Carolina|Bowman]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>40</td><td>[[C. Bradley Hutto]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Orangeburg, South Carolina|Orangeburg]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>41</td><td>[[Glenn F. McConnell]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>42</td><td>[[Robert Ford (politician)|Robert Ford]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>43</td><td>[[George E. Campsen III]]</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Isle of Palms, South Carolina|Isle of Palms]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>44</td><td>[[Paul G. Campbell, Jr.]] (2)</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Goose Creek, South Carolina|Goose Creek]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#DDEEFF><td>45</td><td>[[Clementa C. Pinckney]]</td><td>Democrat</td><td>[[Ridgeland, South Carolina|Ridgeland]]</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor=#FFE8E8><td>46</td><td>[[Catherine C. Ceips]] (2)</td><td>Republican</td><td>[[Beaufort, South Carolina|Beaufort]]</td></tr>
(1) Elected in 2006 special election.<br>
(2) Elected in 2007 special election.
</table>
<br>
==Past Make-up of the Senate==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! align=center valign=bottom | Year
! align=center | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic<br>Party]]
! align=center | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican<br>Party]]
! align=center | [[Independent (politics)|Independent]]<br>/ Other
! align=center | <br>Majority
|- align=center
| 1865
| 0
| 0
| '''31'''
| '''31'''
|- align=center
| 1868
| 6<sup>(a)</sup>
| '''25'''
| 0
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''19'''
|- align=center
| 1870
| 5
| '''26'''
| 1
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''22'''
|- align=center
| 1872
| 5
| '''28'''
| 0
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''23'''
|- align=center
| 1874
| 0
| '''26'''
| 7<sup>(b)</sup>
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''19'''
|- align=center
| 1876
| 15
| '''18'''
| 0
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''3'''
|- align=center
| 1878
| '''31'''
| 3
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''28'''
|- align=center
| 1880
| '''32'''
| 2
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''30'''
|- align=center
| 1902-<br>1906
| '''41'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''41'''
|- align=center
| 1908
| '''42'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''42'''
|- align=center
| 1910
| '''43'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''43'''
|- align=center
| 1912-<br>1914
| '''44'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''44'''
|- align=center
| 1916-<br>1918
| '''45'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''45'''
|- align=center
| 1920-<br>1964
| '''46'''
| 0
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''46'''
|- align=center
| 1966
| '''43'''
| 6
| 1
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''37'''
|- align=center
| 1968
| '''43'''
| 3
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''40'''
|- align=center
| 1972
| '''43'''
| 3
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''40'''
|- align=center
| 1976
| '''43'''
| 3
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''40'''
|- align=center
| 1980
| '''39'''
| 5
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''34'''
|- align=center
| 1984
| '''36'''
| 10
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''26'''
|- align=center
| 1988
| '''35'''
| 11
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''24'''
|- align=center
| 1992
| '''30'''
| 16
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''14'''
|- align=center
| 1996
| '''25'''
| 21
| 0
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''4'''
|- align=center
| 2000
| 22<sup>(c)</sup>
| '''24'''<sup>(c)</sup>
| 0
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''2'''
|- align=center
| 2004
| 20
| '''26'''<sup>(d)</sup>
| 0
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''6'''
|}
<sup>(a)</sup> The election of a Democrat from Abbeville was declared void and the seat remained vacant.<br/>
<sup>(b)</sup> All 7 were members of the [[Conservative Party of South Carolina]].<br/>
<sup>(c)</sup> After the 2000 elections, the Senate was evenly split between 23 Democrats and 23 Republicans. A Democrat switched to the Republicans to break the tie.<br/>
<sup>(d)</sup> Republicans gained an additional seat in a 2007 special election. The current party makeup is 27 Republicans and 19 Democrats.
==External links==
*[http://www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/senate2.html South Carolina State House Online]
**[http://www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/resources.html South Carolina Legislative Information Tracking System] allows users to track legislative information via custom reports, tracking lists or subscription services. Services are provided via web search or Palm Pilot.
*[http://scsenatedems.org/ The South Carolina Senate Democratic Caucus]
*[http://scsenategop.com/ The South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus]
*[http://www.vote-smart.org/official_state_legislator.php?type=office&state_id=SC&criteria=upper Project Vote Smart - State Senate of South Carolina]
{{Usleg}}
[[Category:South Carolina General Assembly]]
[[Category:State upper houses in the United States]]