South Carolina government and politics
The Democratic block was largely maintained by the disenfranchisement of most black voters from 1865 to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.The Republican Party became competitive in the 1960 presidential election when Richard Nixon lost the state to John F. Kennedy by just two percentage points.However, in state-wide and local elections, conservative Democrats still won many races until the end of the 20th century.The South Carolina Constitution provides for the separate election of eight executive officers, making a limited cabinet.This is a large number of elective offices compared to most states, which generally give the governor the executive power to appoint members of the cabinet.The separately elected positions allow for the possibility of multiple parties to be represented in the executive branch.According to historian Tom Downey, "the movement for incorporation initiated with a desire to implant order on unruly elements...which growing villages seemed to attract all too frequently."[5] The initial charters gave towns regulatory power which they used to "appoint constables, levy fines, and enact ordinances."[5] But, town councils were largely unable to pay their expenses with funds raised by just their fine revenue.In the late 1830s, the General Assembly started allowing select towns to tax property within their corporate limits.[6] This was changed under the 1895 Constitution, which made no provision for local government and effectively reduced counties to creatures of the state.[7] Reynolds v. Sims required reapportionment according to the principle of "one man, one vote", which resulted in legislative districts crossing county lines.[9] To expand their borders, cities in South Carolina generally have three options when annexing contiguous land.[13] This option previously required that 25% of freeholders file the petition for an election, but that was found to be a violation of the Equal Protection Clause.But, in 2000 the legislature banned video poker, requiring machines to be shut off and removed from the state by July 8.[18][19] Property tax is administered and collected by local governments with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
Seal of South CarolinaSouth Carolina ConstitutionState of South CarolinaGeneral AssemblyState HouseGovernorElected At LargeSupreme CourtColumbia, SCthe state constitutionUnited States of Americaadmitted to the UnionCrown Colony of South Carolinaconstitutional monarchyAmerican Revolutionrepresentative democracyconservativeRepublicanDeclaration of IndependenceDemocratic Republican PartyDemocratic PartyRepublican PartyDemocraticSolid SouthCivil Rights Act of 1964Richard NixonJohn F. KennedyBarry GoldwaterReconstructionJimmy CarterJim HodgesFritz HollingsU.S. SenateU.S. House of RepresentativesSouth Carolina General AssemblyHistory of South CarolinaTimelineColonial periodAntebellum periodCivil War eraReconstruction eraCivil Rights MovementEconomy of South CarolinaSouth Carolina State HouseGovernor of South CarolinaLieutenant Governor of South Carolinachief executiveup to twoHenry McMasterNikki HaleyUnited States Ambassador to the United NationsPamela EvetteAttorney General of South CarolinaAlan WilsonCommissioner of AgricultureHugh WeathersComptroller GeneralBrian J. GainesSecretary of StateMark HammondTreasurerCurtis LoftisSouth Carolina Superintendent of EducationEllen Weaverstate legislaturebicameralSouth Carolina House of RepresentativesSouth Carolina SenatehousesReynolds v. SimsSouth Carolina Circuit Courttrial courtgeneral jurisdictioncriminalsuperior courtappellate jurisdictionMagistrate's CourtAdministrative Law Judgeadministrative and regulatory agenciesSouth Carolina's 46 countiesSouth Carolina Court of Appealsappellate courtSouth Carolina Supreme Courtstate supreme courtmandatory retirementdisenfranchised black voterspoll taxesliteracy testsVoting Rights Act of 1965Mark SanfordSouth Carolina Department of Public SafetySouth Carolina Highway Patrol DivisionSouth Carolina State Transport Police DivisionSouth Carolina Department of CorrectionsSC Department of Juvenile JusticeSouth Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon ServicesSouth Carolina State Law Enforcement DivisionHomeland SecuritySouth Carolina Department of Natural ResourcesSouth Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse ServicesList of municipalities in South CarolinaList of counties in South CarolinaannexationEqual Protection ClauseLindsey GrahamTim ScottU.S. Rep. District 1Nancy MaceU.S. Rep. District 2Joe WilsonU.S. Rep. District 3Sheri BiggsU.S. Rep. District 4William TimmonsU.S. Rep. District 5Ralph NormanU.S. Rep. District 6Jim ClyburnU.S. Rep. District 7Russell FryPolitical party strength in South CarolinaUnited States District Court for the District of South CarolinaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuitsales taxexcise taxProperty tax