Voter turnout in Rock Hill region mirrors SC; Republicans vote more straight tickets
Out of South Carolina’s 3.3 million registered voters, more than 1.7 million participated in the 2022 election, according to unofficial results.
And turnout across York, Lancaster and Chester counties looked similar.
Numbers available Wednesday morning showed that 95,937 York County residents voted in Tuesday’s midterm election. That’s about 49% of the county’s 194,401 registered voters, according to unofficial results.
However, that’s a slight dip from the county’s 2018 turnout.
During the last midterm election, 96,235 York County residents cast ballots, which was about 56% of the county’s 171,233 registered voters, according to election results.
And during the 2020 presidential election, nearly 145,000 York County residents, or 73% of the county’s registered voters, cast ballots, according to results.
Turnout in Lancaster and Chester counties also was lower compared to 2018.
In Lancaster County, 34,795 residents voted in the 2022 election. That’s about 50% of the county’s 69,690 registered voters, according to unofficial results.
While Lancaster County had a slightly higher turnout in 2018, the county had more registered voters this year. During the last midterm election, 33,328 Lancaster County residents, out of the county’s 58,188 registered voters, cast ballots. That was about 56% turnout, according to results.
And in Chester County, 9,719 voters cast ballots in this year’s midterm election, which is about 48% of the county’s 20,179 registered voters, according to unofficial results. In 2018, about 55% — or 10,995 — of the county’s 19,941 registered voters cast ballots, according to results.
More straight-party ballots among Republicans than Democrats
Thousands across York, Lancaster and Chester chose to cast straight-party ballots, which allow voters to select a party’s entire slate of candidates. The number of straight-party ballots in all three counties was significantly higher among Republicans than Democrats.
South Carolina voters do not register by party.
Out of the 51,223 York County voters who cast a straight party ballot, 67% voted for Republicans and 31% voted for Democrats, unofficial results show.
In Lancaster County, 69% of the county’s 20,016 straight-party voters chose Republicans and 30% chose Democrats.
Out of Chester County’s 5,158 straight-party ballots, 59% were for Republicans and 39% were for Democrats, according to unofficial results.
And the disparity shows in the area’s election results.
Republicans won seven of the eight state House seats on the 2022 ballot that represent York County, including the county’s newest S.C. House District 66 seat. Lawmakers shifted the seat from Orangeburg to the Fort Mill and Tega Cay area as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process.
The one exception was S.C. Rep. John King of Rock Hill, who won reelection.
In all three counties, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster captured more than 60% of the vote. During this year’s midterm election, the Republican incumbent won York and Lancaster counties by roughly the same percentage points. And he won Chester County by more.
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 3:10 PM.
