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Happening Today

2020 primary Elections South Carolina results

South Carolina, which has the highest proportion of African American voters among the four early voting states, is seen as a strong indicator of how well the candidates are performing with the key Democratic constituency. Fifty-four pledged delegates are at stake.

South Carolina Republicans canceled their primary this year.

Presidential primary results

Democrats / 54 Delegates

100% in

Projected winner

The following is a summary of South Carolina's Democratic Primary. South Carolina has 54 delegates and 63 available delegates including supers.

  • Democrat

    Joe BidenWinner

    48.6%

    262,336

    + 39 Delegates

  • Democrat

    Bernie SandersWinner

    19.8%

    106,605

    + 15 Delegates

  • Democrat

    Tom SteyerWinner

    11.3%

    61,140

  • Democrat

    Pete ButtigiegWinner

    8.2%

    44,217

  • Democrat

    Elizabeth WarrenWinner

    7.1%

    38,120

  • Democrat

    Amy KlobucharWinner

    3.1%

    16,900

  • Democrat

    Tulsi GabbardWinner

    1.3%

    6,813

  • Democrat

    Andrew YangWinner

    0.2%

    1,069

  • Democrat

    Michael BennetWinner

    0.1%

    765

  • Democrat

    Cory BookerWinner

    0.1%

    658

  • Democrat

    John DelaneyWinner

    0.1%

    352

  • Democrat

    Deval PatrickWinner

    0.1%

    288

February 29, 2020
Hover over the map for details

Presidential exit polls

Exit polls are surveys of voters conducted as they leave (or exit) their polling place on Election Day. The survey asks who voters decided to vote for and includes questions to help explain voter attitudes and demographics.

Polls close at -12:00 P.M. ET, March 1. Come back for results.

Democrats

Updated on Feb. 29 2020, 10:47PM ET

  • Biden
  • Buttigieg
  • Gabbard
  • Klobuchar
  • Sanders
  • Steyer
  • Warren
Gender
Male (41%)
48%8%2%2%2%2%24%10%5%5%
Female (59%)
49%8%1%1%4%4%17%12%8%
Race
White (40%)
33%16%2%2%7%23%10%9%
Black (56%)
61%3%3%1%1%1%1%17%13%5%5%
Hispanic/Latino (2%)
Not enough data
Asian (0%)
Not enough data
Other (1%)
Not enough data
Race
White (40%)
33%16%2%2%7%23%10%9%
Non-White (60%)
59%3%3%1%1%1%1%17%13%5%5%
Age
17-29 (11%)
26%11%1%1%1%1%43%6%11%
30-44 (18%)
33%10%2%2%2%2%29%11%12%
45-64 (42%)
51%9%2%2%4%4%16%13%6%
65 or over (29%)
64%5%5%3%3%11%12%4%4%
Age
17-44 (29%)
30%10%2%2%2%2%34%9%12%
45+ (71%)
56%7%1%1%4%4%14%13%5%5%
Age by race
White 17-29 (4%)
10%19%1%1%3%3%52%1%1%15%
White 30-44 (6%)
15%20%2%2%4%4%40%7%14%
White 45-59 (10%)
29%18%4%4%13%15%8%12%
White 60+ (20%)
45%13%6%15%13%6%
Black 17-29 (6%)
36%6%38%11%9%
Black 30-44 (10%)
44%4%4%2%2%1%1%22%15%11%
Black 45-59 (19%)
62%3%3%1%1%1%1%15%15%3%3%
Black 60+ (21%)
75%1%1%9%11%3%3%
Latino 17-29 (1%)
Not enough data
Latino 30-44 (1%)
Not enough data
Latino 45-59 (1%)
Not enough data
Latino 60+ (0%)
Not enough data
All other (1%)
Not enough data
Which best describes your education? You have:
Never attended college (18%)
58%3%3%1%1%1%1%21%12%3%3%
Attended college but received no degree (27%)
46%5%5%1%1%2%2%24%15%8%
Associate's degree (AA or AS) (16%)
49%12%3%3%19%10%7%
Bachelor's degree (BA or BS) (20%)
41%14%2%2%7%20%9%7%
An advanced degree after a bachelor's degree (such as JD, MA, MBA, MD, PhD) (19%)
51%8%2%2%3%3%15%11%9%
What was the last grade of school you completed?
College graduate (40%)
46%11%2%2%5%5%18%10%8%
No college degree (60%)
50%6%1%1%2%2%22%13%6%
Education by race
White college graduates (23%)
39%16%2%2%8%18%9%9%
White non-college graduates (18%)
25%16%1%1%6%30%10%10%
Non White college graduates (17%)
55%5%5%1%1%1%1%18%12%7%
Non White non-college graduates (43%)
61%2%2%1%1%1%1%18%14%4%4%
Education by white by sex
White women college graduates (13%)
40%15%1%1%10%13%10%10%
White women non-college graduates (10%)
26%19%5%5%25%10%14%
White men college graduates (10%)
38%17%3%3%4%4%23%8%7%
White men non-college graduates (7%)
23%13%1%1%7%37%11%6%
Non-whites (59%)
59%3%3%1%1%1%1%18%13%5%5%
No matter how you voted today, do you usually think of yourself as a:
Democrat (70%)
54%6%1%1%2%2%18%11%7%
Republican (5%)
Not enough data
Independent or something else (26%)
35%12%3%3%6%23%12%7%
On most political matters, do you consider yourself:
Very liberal (19%)
42%4%4%1%1%1%1%29%10%14%
Somewhat liberal (30%)
42%11%3%3%23%11%9%
Moderate (41%)
56%9%2%2%4%4%12%13%3%3%
Conservative (9%)
48%4%4%3%3%4%4%23%13%3%3%
On most political matters, do you consider yourself:
Liberal (50%)
42%8%1%1%2%2%25%10%11%
Moderate (41%)
56%9%2%2%4%4%12%13%3%3%
Conservative (9%)
48%4%4%3%3%4%4%23%13%3%3%
On most political matters, do you consider yourself:
Liberal (50%)
42%8%1%1%2%2%25%10%11%
Moderate or conservative (50%)
54%8%2%2%4%4%14%13%3%3%
Are you gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender?
Yes (7%)
Not enough data
No (93%)
49%7%1%1%4%4%19%12%7%
Have you ever served in the U.S. military?
Yes (15%)
54%6%1%1%5%5%19%7%6%
No (85%)
46%8%1%1%3%3%19%13%8%
How often do you attend religious services?
Once a week or more (46%)
56%6%1%1%2%2%15%13%6%
Occasionally (37%)
46%8%1%1%5%5%18%14%8%
Never (17%)
24%13%2%2%5%5%36%4%4%13%
How often do you attend religious services?
Once a week or more or occasionally (83%)
52%7%1%1%3%3%17%14%7%
Never (17%)
24%13%2%2%5%5%36%4%4%13%
Before today, had you ever voted in a Democratic presidential primary?
Yes (80%)
51%6%1%1%4%4%18%13%7%
No (19%)
33%15%2%2%2%2%26%12%7%
Which ONE of these four issues mattered most in deciding how you voted today?
Race relations (17%)
54%9%1%1%1%1%12%14%9%
Health care (41%)
50%7%1%1%3%3%22%10%5%5%
Climate change (14%)
41%16%1%1%4%4%18%13%6%
Income inequality (21%)
45%5%5%2%2%4%4%23%11%10%
Which ONE of these four candidate qualities mattered most in deciding how you voted today?
Cares about people like me (25%)
47%7%1%1%2%2%22%13%8%
Can bring needed change (36%)
41%5%5%1%1%2%2%24%15%10%
Can unite the country (29%)
59%13%1%1%6%11%7%3%3%
Is a fighter (6%)
Not enough data
If you had to choose, would you rather see the Democratic Party nominate a candidate who:
Agrees with you on major issues (43%)
43%7%3%3%4%4%24%12%6%
Can beat Donald Trump (53%)
52%10%3%3%17%11%8%
How do you feel about replacing all private health insurance with a single government plan for everyone?
Support (49%)
44%7%1%1%1%1%29%10%8%
Oppose (46%)
55%11%2%2%5%5%12%11%4%4%
Do you think the economic system in the United States:
Works well enough as is (8%)
Not enough data
Needs minor changes (36%)
47%12%1%1%4%4%15%12%9%
Needs a complete overhaul (53%)
49%5%5%1%1%2%2%22%12%8%
Do you think the next president should:
Return to Barack Obama's policies (53%)
62%7%1%1%12%12%5%5%
Change to more conservative policies (17%)
46%6%5%5%7%18%13%3%3%
Change to more liberal policies (27%)
21%9%2%2%4%4%37%11%16%
Which comes closest to your feelings about the Trump administration:
Enthusiastic (4%)
Not enough data
Satisfied, but not enthusiastic (7%)
Not enough data
Dissatisfied, but not angry (39%)
57%7%2%2%17%13%3%3%
Angry (47%)
44%10%3%3%21%10%10%
Which ONE of these candidates best understands the concerns of racial and ethnic minorities?
Biden (45%)
90%2%2%1%1%3%3%3%3%1%1%
Buttigieg (7%)
Not enough data
Gabbard (1%)
Not enough data
Klobuchar (3%)
Not enough data
Sanders (20%)
9%2%2%1%1%1%1%75%6%4%4%
Steyer (10%)
6%3%3%2%2%83%5%5%
Warren (7%)
Not enough data
In the election for president this November, will you vote for the Democratic nominee regardless of who it is?
Yes (81%)
53%8%1%1%2%2%18%11%7%
No (17%)
34%13%4%4%6%29%10%3%3%
Is your opinion of Joe Biden:
Favorable (77%)
62%8%3%3%12%10%6%
Unfavorable (19%)
4%4%13%5%5%4%4%52%13%8%
Is your opinion of Michael Bloomberg:
Favorable (26%)
56%12%1%1%3%3%11%13%3%3%
Unfavorable (66%)
45%8%1%1%3%3%24%10%8%
Is your opinion of Pete Buttigieg:
Favorable (49%)
45%18%1%1%4%4%14%11%7%
Unfavorable (42%)
52%2%2%2%2%28%10%6%
Is your opinion of Amy Klobuchar:
Favorable (42%)
45%13%2%2%7%15%9%9%
Unfavorable (48%)
52%5%5%1%1%25%12%5%5%
Is your opinion of Bernie Sanders:
Favorable (51%)
37%7%1%1%2%2%37%9%7%
Unfavorable (43%)
62%12%1%1%4%4%2%2%13%6%
Is your opinion of Tom Steyer:
Favorable (55%)
47%8%3%3%16%19%6%
Unfavorable (37%)
50%12%3%3%3%3%26%7%
Is your opinion of Elizabeth Warren:
Favorable (52%)
42%11%3%3%21%11%11%
Unfavorable (40%)
55%8%2%2%4%4%20%11%
When did you finally decide for whom to vote in the presidential primary?
Just today (16%)
43%4%4%9%19%11%13%
In the last few days (21%)
51%6%1%1%4%4%14%15%9%
Earlier this month (19%)
45%14%3%3%3%3%18%15%4%4%
In January (7%)
Not enough data
Before that (37%)
56%9%1%1%24%5%5%3%3%
Time of decision
Last few days (37%)
48%5%5%1%1%6%16%13%11%
Earlier than that (63%)
52%11%2%2%1%1%21%9%4%4%
Time of decision
This month (55%)
47%8%1%1%5%5%17%14%8%
Earlier than that (44%)
55%10%1%1%23%7%4%4%
In your vote in today's presidential primary, how would you rate the importance of Rep. Clyburn's endorsement?
The most important factor (27%)
58%3%3%1%1%2%2%16%13%4%4%
One of several important factors (22%)
57%3%3%2%2%3%3%15%13%7%
A minor factor (12%)
43%8%2%2%7%18%12%10%
Not a factor at all (25%)
28%15%2%2%4%4%30%12%9%
In your vote in today's presidential primary, how would you rate the importance of Rep. Clyburn's endorsement?
Important (49%)
57%3%3%1%1%3%3%16%13%5%5%
Not important (38%)
33%13%2%2%5%5%26%12%10%
In your vote in today's presidential primary, how would you rate the importance of Rep. Clyburn's endorsement?
A factor (61%)
54%4%4%1%1%3%3%16%13%6%
Not a factor (25%)
28%15%2%2%4%4%30%12%9%
Area
City over 50,000 (21%)
47%7%3%3%24%11%7%
Suburbs (39%)
43%11%2%2%5%5%20%12%7%
Small city and Rural (41%)
55%6%1%1%1%1%18%12%6%
Region
Upcountry (20%)
39%9%2%2%5%5%24%11%9%
Piedmont (11%)
46%9%1%1%5%5%22%11%6%
Central (30%)
54%6%1%1%2%2%17%13%5%5%
Pee Dee/Waccamaw (15%)
55%6%1%1%2%2%19%12%4%4%
Low Country (24%)
47%11%1%1%2%2%19%10%9%

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