Special Elections and Runoffs in Three US States: What to Know

On Tuesday, voters in three US states – South Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma – will return to polling stations for elections, including runoffs in South Carolina and Oklahoma after multiple candidates failed to secure the required votes to win outright in their primaries. A special election will also be held in Georgia to fill a US House vacancy following a lawmaker's death.

With Republicans holding narrow majorities in both the US Senate and House, these elections will be closely watched to determine who will appear on the November ballot.

South Carolina

Polls open at 7:00 a.m. (11:00 GMT) and close at 7:00 p.m. (23:00 GMT).

South Carolina Republicans will vote for a second time since June to choose a replacement for the late Senator Lindsey Graham on the November ballot. Graham, who served 23 years in the Senate, was known as one of the most hawkish voices in Congress, advocating military intervention in Iran, Iraq, and beyond. A close ally of President Donald Trump, he won the primary on June 9 but died two days later, creating vacancies for both the current Senate seat and the party's nominee for a six-year term.

The two runoff candidates are Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, who was appointed to complete her brother's remaining term, and Representative Ralph Norman, a five-term congressman who ran for governor this year but finished third in the primary. Darline Graham led the special primary on August 11 with about 33 percent of the vote, compared to Norman's roughly 25 percent, but fell short of a majority to avoid a runoff.

Graham carried central South Carolina counties, including the Columbia area and the Lowcountry around Charleston, with her strongest numbers in counties bordering Georgia. Norman drew his greatest support in the Piedmont and Upstate regions, including the Greenville area. Graham has key backing from Senator Tim Scott and former President Trump, who campaigned with her in Myrtle Beach on Friday. The winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

Oklahoma

Polls open at 7:00 a.m. (12:00 GMT) and close at 7:00 p.m. (00:00 GMT).

Oklahoma Republicans will settle an expensive race for governor, while Democrats will choose a Senate nominee. Voters will also decide two statewide ballot measures, including one that would add voter ID requirements to the state constitution.

The gubernatorial primary result to replace Governor Kevin Stitt, who is term-limited, holds major implications for the November election, as Democrats have not won this seat in 20 years. The race will also test the influence of Trump's endorsement. Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Senator Mike Mazzei were the top two among nine candidates in the June 16 primary, with Drummond narrowly edging Mazzei, 26.25 percent to 25.97 percent. Neither reached a majority to avoid a runoff.

Both men have poured millions of dollars from personal wealth into the race. Mazzei loaned his campaign more than $11 million, compared to $3 million from Drummond. Mazzei's total spending reached $12.3 million, while Drummond spent about $9.1 million. However, beyond the loan, Drummond has outraised Mazzei significantly, pulling in $7.1 million versus about $1.5 million. Trump endorsed Mazzei before the primary and has attacked Drummond. Trump's picks in 2026 have a strong win rate, but they are not guaranteed victories, especially in governor races.

The winner will face Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson in November. In the Senate race, nurse N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas captured about 45 percent of the Democratic primary vote, short of a majority to avoid a runoff. Lawyer and pastor Jim Priest finished second with roughly 24 percent, despite a larger fundraising advantage, raising nearly six times more than Thomas. As of August 5, Thomas's campaign had only $455 in the bank, compared to Priest's about $56,000. The winner will face Republican Representative Kevin Hern, who won the five-candidate primary with about 70 percent of the vote.

Voters will also decide State Question 846, a constitutional amendment to require voters to present identification when casting a ballot, which is already required under state law. State Question 844 would affect the reimbursement local governments receive from the state for property tax losses under a program that gives incentives to manufacturing companies.

Georgia

Polls open at 7:00 a.m. (11:00 GMT) and close at 7:00 p.m. (23:00 GMT).

Voters in Georgia's 13th Congressional District, in the Atlanta suburbs, will select new representation in Congress in Tuesday's special election to replace the late Democratic Representative David Scott, who died on April 22. The race between two Democrats will further narrow Republicans' already thin House majority.

The two runoff candidates are Everton Blair, a former chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, and Marcye Scott, daughter of the late congressman. They were the top two vote-getters among five candidates in the July 28 special election, with Marcye Scott taking about 46 percent to Blair's 38 percent. The winner will serve out the remainder of David Scott's final term. Neither is running in November for the next full term, which begins on January 3.