Carolinas led nation in increased voter turnout in 2008

A Mount Pleasant-based nonprofit that tracks voter turnout and works with communities and governments, said data from the Nov. 4 general election shows South Carolina had the highest turnout in the history of the state. The trend has been building for 12 years but the group attributes part of the increase to the “Obama phenomenon.”

Staff Report

Published Jan. 20, 2009

More S.C. voters turned out for the Nov. 4 election than for any other election in the state’s history, according to an analysis by a nonprofit group based in Mount Pleasant. Part of the credit goes to the interest generated by President Barack Obama’s grass-roots campaign efforts, said the Palmetto Project, but the trend has been building for 12 years.

Obama took the oath of office just after noon in Washington, D.C., in front of millions of Americans who joined the ceremony on the National Mall, watched on giant TVs set up across the country or saw webcasts through video streams and social networking sites online.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., won the Palmetto State in the general election.

The Palmetto Project said North Carolina and South Carolina led the nation with the largest increase in voter turnout for the general election, but the Palmetto State still came in at 39 out of 50 states in total voter turnout. For most of the 20th century, South Carolina ranked 50th out of the 50 states, the Palmetto Project said in its report.

“South Carolinians are consistently voting in larger numbers,” said Steve Skardon, the organization’s executive director. “The Obama phenomenon was just part of the reason. The trend has been building over the past 12 years.”

The Midlands had two of the three highest voter turnouts in the state, according to the report. Fairfield and Calhoun counties posted 65% to 70% voter turnout, as did Georgetown County.

Richland, Lexington and Kershaw counties all posted 59% to 64% voter turnout.

The highest voter turnout occurred in some of the state’s more rural areas, Skardon said. He credited that to aggressive outreach efforts by local election boards and commissions in smaller counties and to electronic voting machines.

“South Carolina has always challenged conventional wisdom that wealthier, more urban, better-educated citizens vote in greater numbers,” Skardon said.

Other Election Day 2008 facts

Nearly 60% of South Carolinians of voting age cast ballots for president.
2008 was the second time a majority of eligible state residents participated in a general election. The first time was in 2004 when 52% turned out.
The increase in South Carolina was second only to North Carolina, where voting jumped 10%.