Who won South Carolina in the 1960 presidential election?

Kennedy (Democratic) carried South Carolina in 1960, winning its 8 electoral votes.

How many electoral votes did South Carolina have in 1960?

South Carolina cast 8 electoral votes in the 1960 presidential election.

Did South Carolina vote for the national winner in 1960?

Yes. South Carolina backed John F. Kennedy, who won the presidency that year.

New Deal CoalitionSC · 8 EV

1960

South Carolina: Kennedy carries 8 EV.

South Carolina cast its 8 electoral votes for Kennedy (Democratic). National winner: John F. Kennedy (Democratic) — South Carolina voted with the national winner this cycle.

What happened in South Carolina, 1960

In 1960, South Carolina awarded its 8 electoral votes to Kennedy of the Democratic party. South Carolina ended up on the winning side — John F. Kennedy captured the White House that year.

It marked the 3rd consecutive election in which South Carolina backed the Democratic party, a streak reaching back to 1952. South Carolina did not move alone — neighboring Georgia and North Carolina broke the same way in 1960. Across the 59 presidential elections South Carolina has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Democratic party (28 times). The vote fell within the New Deal Coalition — FDR, civil rights, and the long Democratic majority.

In the national count, John F. Kennedy took 303 of the 537 electoral votes, against Richard Nixon's 219. John F. Kennedy led the national popular vote with 49.72% of the ballots cast.

The 1960 national map

South Carolina full history →