South Carolina Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in South Carolina, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the South Carolina voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| State Representative | — | 5% |
| Governor, Lieutenant Governor | — | 5% |
| Attorney General, State Treasurer, Secretary Of State, State Comptroller | — | 5% |
2026 petition deadlines
State Representative; Governor, Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General, State Treasurer, Secretary Of State, State Comptroller
- Primary petition opens:
- March 16, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 30, 2026
- General petition opens:
- June 10, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- July 15, 2026
- Primary election:
- June 9, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeSouth Carolina petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Major-party candidates: $416-$3500 filing fee depending on office
Primary petition — deadline rules
Filing window mid-March (2 weeks)
General petition — signature rules
Independent candidates: petition with 5% of district registered voters
General petition — deadline rules
Independent candidates file by mid-July
Primary petition — signature rules
Major-party governor: $3,500 filing fee
General petition — signature rules
Independent governor: petition with 10,000 registered voters statewide
Primary petition — signature rules
Major-party statewide candidates: $3,500 filing fee
General petition — signature rules
Independent statewide candidates: petition with 10,000 registered voters statewide
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in South Carolina?
South Carolina signature requirements vary by office. State Representative: 5% of enrolled voters; Governor, Lieutenant Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; Attorney General, State Treasurer, Secretary Of State, State Comptroller: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in South Carolina?
For the 2026 cycle in South Carolina, the primary petition deadline is March 30, 2026, and the general petition deadline is July 15, 2026. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate South Carolina petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the South Carolina voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on May 27, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.