Get the results in the crucial early voting state * South Carolina
Democrats vote as Biden looks for win to boost flagging campaign * Help us cover the critical issues of 2020. Consider making a contributionSouth Carolina is the first state in the deep south to cast its vote in the primary race, where African
American voters form a majority of the electorate. Democrats and
Republicans will be voting, but because
Donald Trump faces no serious opposition, all eyes will be on the
Democratic contest.default What is a primary?The primaries and caucuses are a series of contests, in all 50 US states plus
Washington DC and US territories, by which the party selects its presidential nominee.
Most US states hold primary
elections, in which voters go to a polling place, mail in their ballots or otherwise vote remotely. A handful of states hold caucuses – complicated, hours-long meetings, which continue until one candidate emerges as victor. And the process is different for Democrats and Republicans.
Why is the South Carolina primary important?The goal for the candidates is to amass a majority of pledged delegates whose job it is to nominate the candidate at the party’s convention. In all states, delegates are awarded proportionally among top winners.To become the Democratic presidential nominee, the candidate must secure 1,991 pledged delegates before the Democratic Party’s convention in Wisconsin in July. If there is no outright majority then so-called super delegates, unpledged senior party members, could decide who secures the presidential nomination.There are 54 delegates in play in South Carolina. Only 101 so far allotted after the first three primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
South Carolina serves as a launchpad for the vital Super Tuesday
election in just three days time, when 16 states and territories will vote and over 1,300 delegates, around a third of the total in the entire election, will be up for grabs.
Sanders so far leads the pack with 45 delegates. He is followed by former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg on 26, while Biden lags behind with 15. Massachusetts senator
Elizabeth Warren holds 8 with Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar on 7.