COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s electors have cast their nine ballots for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
The electors are met Monday morning at the State House in Columbia. The Electoral College in other states are meeting as well to cast their votes as required by the U.S. Constitution.
The electors, spaced apart and wearing masks due to COVID-19 protocols, cast their ballots first for Mike Pence and then for Donald Trump. There was then a voice vote to affirm their choice.
The event was expected to be relatively uncontentious in South Carolina, which Trump won over Democrat Joe Biden by a margin of 55% to 43% of votes cast. The state is winner-take-all, meaning that Trump secured all nine of the electoral votes with his victory.
All electors were chosen by the state Republican Party and, like other states, these electors were chosen because of party loyalty to ensure there would be no chance of a voter changing their mind. Those who deviate could face legal action.
South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick and Republican National Convention Committeewoman Cindy Costa were the at-large members of the electorate, according to party leaders.
The following also participated:
SC-01: Terry Hardesty
SC-02: Jim Ulmer
SC-03: Cheryl Cuthrell
SC-04: Suzette Jordan
SC-05: Charm Altman
SC-06: Sandra Bryan
SC-07: Gerri McDaniel
Party Spokesperson Claire Robinson said Sunday the electors were “fired up” to vote for President Trump, although the process was different due to COVID-19.
“So, it’ll look a little different than it has in the past because obviously you know we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” South Carolina GOP Spokesperson Claire Robinson said. “The biggest thing is people will be wearing masks you know it will be spread out in one of the big like office space rooms in the building on Statehouse grounds.”