South Carolina special GOP Senate primary set for Aug. 11 as Charleston County voters prepare
South Carolina’s special Republican primary to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham is scheduled for Aug. 11, following the close of the Republican candidate filing period on July 28.
The contest is a statewide primary, not a Charleston-only election. Charleston County voters are among those who will participate, and the county’s Board of Elections and Voter Registration has published its 2026 primary-election guide with local voter and election-office resources.
Primary moves from filing to campaigning
The July 28 filing deadline marked the end of the candidate-entry stage for the Republican special primary. The Associated Press reported that the contest is being held to replace Graham and described Charleston County-related ties among people involved in the statewide race.
No winner has been selected at this stage. The next stated election date is the Aug. 11 special Republican primary.
Darline Graham made a public campaign appearance on Aug. 1, according to the Associated Press. AP reported that she promoted President Donald Trump’s agenda during what it described as her political debut following Lindsey Graham’s death.
That appearance came after the filing period had closed, placing the contest in its campaign phase ahead of the primary rather than in the candidate-registration stage.
Military and overseas voting compliance
Election administration for the special primary is also subject to a compliance agreement announced July 20 by the South Carolina State Election Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The commission said the agreement concerns compliance under UOCAVA for the Aug. 11 special Republican primary. The announcement set out the federal-state context for military and overseas voting in the election.
The agreement is an election-administration development, separate from the campaign activity and the completed filing period. It does not constitute a primary result or identify a candidate as having an advantage.
What Charleston County voters can use
Charleston County’s official 2026 primary-election guide identifies the county election office and directs voters to county election resources. The guide is part of the county’s administration of the 2026 primary cycle.
The available reporting does not provide a complete Charleston County vote breakdown or polling picture for this special primary. The county connection is electoral and regional: Charleston County residents will take part in the statewide contest, while the race itself is not a City of Charleston governmental action.
For voters, the key dates established in the available materials are July 20 for the state commission’s compliance announcement, July 28 for the close of Republican filing, Aug. 1 for Graham’s campaign appearance and Aug. 11 for the special Republican primary.
Sources
- SEC Reaches Agreement with DOJ on UOCAVA Compliance for Special Republican Primary, South Carolina State Election Commission
- South Carolina Republicans line up to run in special primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, Associated Press
- Darline Graham promotes Trump's agenda in political debut ahead of special Senate primary, Associated Press
- 2026 Primary Election Guide, Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration