South Carolina State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022
South Carolina Senate District 23
A district of about 121,000 people, 25% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+38.7 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Carlisle Kennedy (R) · won97.9%
- Write-ins and other votes (OTH)2.1%
Unopposed.
Source: South Carolina State Election CommissionUpdated Oct 1, 2026, 6:13 AM ET
Where it sits among all 46 seats
Every South Carolina State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
11 races since 1984; the seat changed party 1 time. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2024 | Carlisle Kennedy (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Katrina Shealy (R) | Bill Brown (D) | 45.1 |
| 2016 | Katrina Shealy (R)Flip | — | Unopposed |
| 2012 | Katrina Shealy (IND) | Jake Knotts (R) | 7.4 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Jake Knotts (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2004 | Jake Knotts (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Joe Wilson (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 1996 | Joe Wilson (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 1992 | Joe Wilson (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Joe Wilson (R) | Frank A. Barton (D) | 66.6 |
| 1984 | Joe Wilson (R) | Jim Leslie (D) | 66.7 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 23
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 23's area in each.
- U.S. House
- SC-2 100%
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| President | R+38.8 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 46 seats. Small marks are other seats in South Carolina. The black marker is District 23.
Lower than 69% of seats.
Higher than 89% of seats.
Higher than 80% of seats.
Lower than 73% of seats.
Higher than 80% of seats.
Denser than 62% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 3328% college gradsR+28.1Not up in 2026District 11
24% BlackR+27.3Not up in 2026District 28
29% college gradsR+41.2Not up in 2026District 34
33% college gradsR+37.4Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET