South Carolina House of Representatives
South Carolina House of Representatives | |
---|---|
South Carolina General Assembly | |
Type | |
Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
New session started | January 12, 2021 |
Leadership | |
Speaker Pro Tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Structure | |
Seats | 124 |
Political groups | Majority
Minority
|
Length of term | 2 years |
Authority | Article III, South Carolina Constitution |
Salary | $10,400/year + per diem |
Elections | |
Last election | November 3, 2020 (124 seats) |
Next election | November 8, 2022 |
Redistricting | Legislative Control |
Meeting place | |
House of Representatives Chamber South Carolina State House Columbia, South Carolina | |
Website | |
South Carolina House of Representatives |
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections.
Unlike many legislatures, seating on the floor is not divided by party, but is arranged by county delegation – a legacy of the original apportionment of the chamber. Until 1964, each of South Carolina's counties was a legislative district, with the number of representatives determined by the county's population. It meets from the second week of January into May.
History[edit]
In Colonial times, there was a Commons House of Assembly.[1]
Qualifications and terms[edit]
Representatives are considered part-time citizen legislators who serve two-year terms. Representatives are elected at-large by their district, and there are no term limits.[2] Representatives must be 21 years of age before they are eligible to become a representative.[3]
Composition[edit]
Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
Beginning of 2021-22 Session | 81 | 43 | 124 | 0 |
Latest voting share | 65.32% | 34.68% |
Leadership[edit]
South Carolina House of Representatives Officers | ||
---|---|---|
Position | Name | Party |
Speaker | Jay Lucas | Republican |
Majority Leader | Gary Simrill | Republican |
Minority Leader | Todd Rutherford | Democratic |
Current members[edit]
Party composition over time[edit]
Year | Democratic Party |
Republican Party |
Independent / Other |
Majority |
---|---|---|---|---|
1865 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 124 |
1868 | 14 | 110 | 0 | 96 |
1870 | 0 | 100 | 24(a) | 76 |
1872 | 22 | 102 | 0 | 80 |
1874 | 0 | 91 | 33(b) | 58 |
1876 | 64 | 60 | 0 | 4 |
1878 | 121 | 3 | 0 | 118 |
1880 | 120 | 4 | 0 | 116 |
1882 | 118 | 6 | 0 | 112 |
1884 | 119 | 5 | 0 | 114 |
1886 | 120 | 4 | 0 | 116 |
1888 | 121 | 3 | 0 | 118 |
1890 | 115 | 9 | 0 | 106 |
1892 | 120 | 4 | 0 | 116 |
1894 | 104 | 3 | 17(c) | 87 |
1896– 1900 |
123 | 1 | 0 | 122 |
1902– 1960 |
124 | 0 | 0 | 124 |
1961 | 123 | 1[6][7] | 0 | 122 |
1962 | 124 | 0 | 0 | 124 |
1964 | 123 | 1 | 0 | 122 |
1966 | 107 | 17 | 0 | 90 |
1968 | 119 | 5 | 0 | 114 |
1970 | 113 | 11 | 0 | 102 |
1972 | 103 | 21 | 0 | 82 |
1974 | 108 | 16 | 0 | 92 |
1976 | 112 | 12 | 0 | 100 |
1978 | 108 | 16 | 0 | 92 |
1980 | 108 | 16 | 0 | 92 |
1982 | 105 | 19 | 0 | 86 |
1984 | 96 | 28 | 0 | 68 |
1986 | 92 | 32 | 0 | 60 |
1988 | 88 | 36 | 0 | 52 |
1990 | 80 | 44 | 0 | 36 |
1992 | 74 | 50 | 0 | 24 |
1994 | 54 | 70 | 0 | 16 |
1996 | 53 | 71 | 0 | 18 |
1998 | 57 | 67 | 0 | 10 |
2000 | 53 | 71 | 0 | 18 |
2002 | 51 | 73 | 0 | 22 |
2004 | 50 | 74 | 0 | 24 |
2006 | 51 | 73 | 0 | 22 |
2008 | 51 | 73 | 0 | 22 |
2010 | 48 | 76 | 0 | 28 |
2012 | 46 | 78 | 0 | 32 |
2014 | 46 | 78 | 0 | 32 |
2016 | 44 | 80 | 0 | 36 |
2018 | 44 | 80 | 0 | 35 |
2020[8] | 42 | 81 | 0 | 39 |
(a) 21 were members of the Union Reform Party of South Carolina and the other 3 were Independents from Anderson. Two of the Union Reform members from Chesterfield were later replaced by Republicans from a resolution passed in the House.
(b) All 33 were members of the Conservative Party of South Carolina.
(c) All 17 were Independent Democrats.
References[edit]
- ^ "General Assembly".
- ^ "South Carolina Legislature Online - House of Representatives". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "Candidate Qualifications - SCVotes". www.scvotes.org. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "South Carolina Legislature Online". SC Statehouse.gon. South Carolina Government. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ Kropf, Schuyler (August 11, 2020). "Democrats flip SC state House seat with win on James Island". Post and Courier.
- ^ Republican Charles Evans Boineau Jr., who was elected in an August 1961 special election
- ^ "University Libraries - University Libraries - University of South Carolina". library.sc.edu. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "South Carolina Election Results". New York Times. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
Additional sources[edit]
- Reynolds, John S. (1969). Reconstruction in South Carolina. Negro University Press. ISBN 0-8371-1638-4.
- Kalk, Bruce H. (2001). The origins of the southern strategy: two-party competition in South Carolina, 1950–1972. Lexington Books. ISBN 0-7391-0242-7.
External links[edit]
- South Carolina House of Representatives
- Project Vote Smart – State House of South Carolina links to each Representative