South Carolina's Redistricting
Information

South Carolina's Redistricting News

South Carolina's Redistricting News (August 18, 2001-February 7, 2002)

South Carolina's Redistricting News (January 19-August 16)

All information below is from early 2001

South Carolina�s Political Lineup

 

1991

2001

Governor

R

D

State Senate

34D, 11R, 1 vacant

24R, 22D

State House

74D, 42R, 1I, 7 vacant

53D, 71R

US Senators

1D, 1R

1D, 1R

US Reps

4D, 2R

2D, 4R

 

Redistricting Deadline

None.

Who�s in Charge of Redistricting?

The legislature. The governor has veto power over congressional and state The Judiciary Committee in both houses have jurisdiction. legislative district plans.

Districting Principles 

Principle

Congressional

State Legis.

Compactness

+

+

Contiguity

+

+

Political subdivisions

+ 

+ 

Communities of interest

+ 

+ 

Cores of prior districts

+ 

+ 

Protect incumbents

a

a

VRA � 5

+

+

Adherence to applicable federal court decisions

+

+

  + = required               - = prohibited             a=allowed

  * Legislative: State Senate only

Public Access

Committee meetings on redistricting are open, as with meetings on any other bill, and citizens can also submit their own plans for consideration Both the Senate and House have redistricting pages with information, schedules, and maps.

Political Landscape

South Carolina has divided partisan control over redistricting in 2001. A likely result is preservation of the current 4-2 Republican advantage in U.S. House districts, with Democrats seeking to shore up John Spratt�s 5th congressional district.

Legal Issues

South Carolina's 6th congressional district was challenged as a "racial gerrymander" twice. In 1993, a district court ruled it unconstitutional; the legislature made adjustments for the 1994 elections, but another suit was filed. In 1997, the case was settled before trial. The settlement agreement delayed the plaintiffs� suit until after the General Assembly's 2000 session.

In 1996, several house and senate districts in the South Carolina General Assembly's legislative district plan were challenged as unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The trial court declared six house and three senate districts unconstitutional. The General Assembly passed a modified house plan, but the court ended up drawing a senate plan. Two black incumbent legislators were defeated in special elections in 1997, despite black adult populations of more than 40% in their new districts.


Irregularly Shaped District
District 1

Irregularly Shaped District
District 6

� Parts of Charleston and Myrtle Beach

� White, affluent, suburban

� Majority Republican, with strong environmental and anti-development feelings held by some coastal residents

78% white; 20% black; 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic

� Central and south�includes parts of Charleston

� Majority-black district

� Poorest district in the state (has five of the state�s poorest counties)

�  Heavily Democratic

37% white; 62% black; 1% Hispanic

 

Contact Information

 Frank Caggiano

 Clerk of the Senate

 P.O. Box 142, State Capitol

 Columbia, SC 29202

 803/212-6200

 803/212-6299 Fax

 [email protected]

 

 Charles Reid

 Counsel to the Speaker

 P.O. Box 11867

 Columbia, SC 29211

 803/734-3125

 803/734-9488 Fax

 [email protected]

 
For more information:

National Committee for an Effective Congress' Redistricting Resource: South Carolina
-Overview

EMILY's List Congressional Redistricting Report: South Carolina
-Overview
-South Carolina Redistricting Chronicle

Glossary

Redistricting Provisions 2000

 



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