Fort Towson

Elections in South Carolina
Federal government U.S. President 1788-89 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 Rep 2004 Dem 2008 Dem Rep 2012 Rep 2016 Dem 2020 Dem 2024 Dem Rep U.S. Senate 1897 sp 1898 1902 1903 1907 1908 1909 1913 1914 1918 sp 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 sp 1941 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 sp 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 sp 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives 1788 1790 1793 1794 1796 1798 1800 1803 1804 1806 1808 1810 1812 1814 1816 1818 1820 1823 1824 1826 1828 1830 1833 1834 1836 1838 1840 1843 1844 1846 1848 1850 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 7th 1901 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 4th 1915 1916 1918 6th 1919 7th 1919 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 4th 1953 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1st 1971 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2nd 2001 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 1st 2013 2014 2016 5th 2017 2018 2020 2022 2024 List of specials
State offices General elections 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1865 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 State Senate elections 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 State House elections 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment 1 2008 2010 2012 2014
Charleston Mayoral elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Columbia Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2010 2013 2017 2021
Rock Hill Mayoral elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Greenville Mayoral elections 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023

The 1956 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 6, 1956, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 5th congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic.

1st congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent)	31,112	100.0	+2.3
	No party	Write-Ins	2	0.0	0.0
Majority			31,110	100.0	+4.6
Turnout			31,114
	Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John J. Riley of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1951, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John J. Riley (incumbent)	49,284	100.0	+2.3
	No party	Write-Ins	3	0.0	0.0
Majority			49,281	100.0	+4.6
Turnout			49,287
	Democratic hold

3rd congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger Maka Knox.

General election results

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)	39,270	92.9	-6.4
	Republican	Maka Knox	2,885	6.8	+6.2
	No party	Write-Ins	127	0.3	+0.2
Majority			36,385	86.1	-12.6
Turnout			42,282
	Democratic hold

4th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert T. Ashmore of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1953, defeated Republican challenger Dan H. Wallace, Jr.

General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Robert T. Ashmore (incumbent)	53,722	85.1	-14.1
	Republican	Dan H. Wallace, Jr.	9,393	14.9	+14.1
Majority			44,329	70.2	-28.2
Turnout			63,115
	Democratic hold

5th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman James P. Richards of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1933, opted to retire. Robert W. Hemphill defeated Thomas S. Gettys in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
Candidate	Votes	%
Robert W. Hemphill	28,424	59.0
Thomas S. Gettys	19,760	41.0

General election results

South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Robert W. Hemphill	36,454	100.0	0.0
Majority			36,454	100.0	0.0
Turnout			36,454
	Democratic hold

6th congressional district

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1956

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John L. McMillan (incumbent)	39,749	100.0	+1.1
	No party	Write-Ins	3	0.0	0.0
Majority			39,746	100.0	+2.2
Turnout			39,752
	Democratic hold

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections, 1956
• United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1956
• United States Senate special election in South Carolina, 1956
• South Carolina's congressional districts

References

• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. p. 116.
• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume I. Columbia, SC: 1957, pp. 10–12.