Clyburn on South Carolina record-breaking early voter turnout: People were 'very angry'

Source: The Hill

05/26/26 11:06 PM ET


Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) on Tuesday said the Palmetto State’s record-breaking early voter turnout was attributed to residents’ anger over Republicans’ redistricting measure. “People were upset that this was taking place. And people tend to vote when they get angry. And people were very angry,” Clyburn told reporters hours after casting his ballot in Orangeburg, S.C. “I watched some of the interviews that were taking place at polling places today. And I don’t know if I’ve ever seen voters as animated as I saw them today,” he added.

A total of 44,600 people voted in-person by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, nearly doubling the previous record for a single day of early voting in a primary election, according to the SC Daily Gazette. Voters turned up in droves as the South Carolina state Senate considered a plan to advance a new congressional map that would put Clyburn’s minority district in danger.

Ultimately, lawmakers struck down the measure in a 26-18 vote, flunking President Trump’s push for the state to redraw its congressional maps. State senators originally declined to extend their legislative session to consider redistricting; however, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) called a special session to urge elected officials to approve new districts.

“I wasn’t surprised at the vote. I was surprised that the governor called a special session because he said he was not going to. And he said he was going to leave it up to the legislature,” Clyburn said. “And the legislature made his feelings known several weeks ago. And he immediately called a special session. So I don’t know what all this is about, but I do know this. That the congressional lines were looked at by the Supreme Court two years ago. And the Supreme Court said they were constitutional,” he said in reference to the state’s current congressional map.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5896480-clyburn-redistricting-anger-voters/