Scott wins Democratic primary for S.C. House District 50 election, will face Republican Oden on June 3

Keishan Scott won the S.C. House of Representatives District 50 Democratic primary by 10 votes, according to unofficial results Tuesday night, April 1. Scott secured 1,435, or 50.17%, of votes, while candidate Carl Whetsel received 1,425, or 49.83%, of votes.

South Carolina law requires an automatic recount "whenever the difference between the number of votes received by a candidate who has been declared nominated for an office in a primary election ... shall be not more than one percent of the total votes which were cast for such office therein" and in several other scenarios, according to the 2024 South Carolina Code of Laws and Justia U.S. Law.

The 10-vote difference would fall within that 1% margin.

If the votes maintain Scott as the winner after vote certification on Thursday, April 3, he will go up against Republican Bill Oden on June 3 in a special election.

Sumter County’s votes reflected a majority of support for Scott with 367, or 80.13%, of votes going to him and 91, or 19.87%, of votes going to Whetsel.

Kershaw County followed suit with 104, or 70.75%, of votes for Scott and 43, or 29.25%, of votes going to Whetsel.

Lee County, which garnered the largest number of voters, reflected a majority of support for Whetsel. Whetsel obtained 1,291, or 57.25%, of votes, while Scott secured 964, or 42.75%, of votes.

The special election is taking place after former Rep. Will Wheeler resigned in January to seek a 12th Circuit Court judge seat, which by law requires he be out of the General Assembly for at least one year.