ELECTORAL VOTES 8

2008 ELECTION Leaning McCain

ABOUT
SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina, one of the original 13 colonies, attained statehood in May 1788 and has participated in every presidential election except 1864, when it had seceded from the Union. South Carolina has had eight electoral votes since 1932. Like many other southern states, South Carolina voted almost exclusively Democratic from the time of Reconstruction through the early 1960s, before turning Republican largely in response to civil rights legislation. South Carolina was one of only six states to vote for Barry Goldwater in 1964 and has voted Republican since, except in 1976 when it voted for fellow southerner Jimmy Carter. In 2004, George W. Bush handily defeated John Kerry 58% to 41%.