South Carolina voters are heading back to the polls on August 11, 2026, to choose the Republican nominee for the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. The special election was triggered by the sudden death of longtime Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11, 2026, after 23 years in office. Graham, who had just won his Republican primary earlier this year for a fifth term, is believed to have died from a tear in his aorta.
Why Is South Carolina Holding a Special Election?
Under S.C. Code of Laws Section 7-11-55, when a party’s nominee for U.S. Senate dies after winning their primary but before the general election, the party holds a special filing period and special primary open only to that party’s candidates. Because Graham had already secured the Republican nomination and had opposition lined up for the November general election, the South Carolina Republican Party was required to select a new nominee through this special process.
Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, to temporarily fill the Senate seat until voters elect a permanent successor. She is also running in the special Republican primary to keep the seat.
Key Dates for the South Carolina Republican Special Election
- Candidate Filing Period: Noon, Tuesday, July 21 through noon, Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- Voter Registration Deadline: Sunday, July 12, 2026
- Early Voting for Special Primary: Wednesday, August 5 through Friday, August 7, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Absentee Ballot Application Deadline: Friday, July 31, 2026
- Special Republican Primary Election Day: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
- Early Voting for Runoff (if needed): August 19, 20, and 21, 2026
- Special Primary Runoff (if no candidate reaches 50%): Tuesday, August 25, 2026
- General Election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Who Is on the Ballot? The Nine Certified Republican Candidates
<cite index=”14-1″>Twelve candidates originally filed to run in the special primary to succeed Lindsey Graham as South Carolina’s Republican U.S. Senate nominee</cite>, but the South Carolina Republican Party certified only nine for the ballot. <cite index=”14-1″>Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, a well-known figure in Palmetto State politics with a history as a congressman, governor, and presidential candidate, is among those running</cite> for the seat once more.
The nine certified Republican candidates, listed alphabetically, are:
- Duke Buckner – A Walterboro attorney and former city council member
- Russell Fry – Sitting U.S. Congressman
- Darline Graham – Current appointed Senator and sister of the late Lindsey Graham
- Mark Lynch – Former U.S. Senate candidate
- Mark McBride – Former Myrtle Beach mayor and city council member
- Ralph Norman – Sitting U.S. Congressman
- Glenda Gail Parker – Republican candidate
- Mark Sanford – Former South Carolina Governor and Congressman
- Samuel “Sam” Shepherd – Republican candidate
<cite index=”14-1″>Three candidates were eliminated from contention under state party rules on July 28: social media influencer Darius Mitchell and farmer Danny Ford II were disqualified for not voting in two of the last three state Republican primaries, while surveyor Clark Neilson was ruled ineligible because he lives in North Carolina</cite>.
Who Can Vote in the August 11 Special Primary?
Voter eligibility for this special primary follows South Carolina’s semi-open primary rules:
- Voters who participated in the June 2026 Republican Primary, or who did not vote in either party’s June primary, are eligible to vote in the August 11 Special Republican Primary.
- Voters who participated in the June 2026 Democratic Primary are not eligible to vote in this Republican special primary.
Early Polling and Frontrunners
Early polling in the crowded nine-way race shows appointed Senator Darline Graham leading the field, with roughly 20.8% support among Republican voters. With no candidate currently projected to clear the 50% threshold outright, a runoff election on August 25, 2026, remains a strong possibility between the top two finishers.
What Happens After the Primary?
The winner of the Republican primary (or runoff, if necessary) will advance to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the November 3, 2026, general election. The winner of that general election will serve out the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s Senate term, which runs through January 3, 2027, before the next full six-year term begins.
Filing Fees and Legal Challenges
Candidates were required to pay a $10,440 filing fee, made payable to the South Carolina Republican Party, to appear on the special primary ballot. Following the disqualification of Ford, Mitchell, and Neilson, a legal battle has emerged as some of the excluded candidates contest their removal from the ballot, adding an additional layer of uncertainty to the race in its final stretch before Election Day.
This remains a fast-moving story — bookmark this page and check back for the latest updates, results, and analysis as South Carolina’s special Republican primary unfolds. Drop your thoughts in the comments below!