Publication date: September 29, 2022
Executive Summary
The Center for Excellence in Polling (CEP) recently conducted a poll of likely South Carolina voters on behalf of the Opportunity Solutions Project and the Palmetto Promise Institute. Results indicate that a majority of likely voters in South Carolina approve of the job Governor Henry McMaster is doing (53%). The governor’s approval rating is strongest among Republicans and a plurality of Independent voters.
CEP also surveyed voters on several reforms ranging from health care to the workforce. Voters
support policies that will provide transparency in health care, promote commonsense reform in
education, unleash the power of a free economy, and get South Carolinians back to work.
Support for these reforms is broad and bipartisan, indicating that pursuing an agenda that includes
these reforms would be well-received by the citizens of South Carolina.
SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS WANT
Transparency, not bureaucracy, in health care
84%
Health care providers should give patients actual out-of-pocket costs at least 72 hours before a non-emergency procedure
75%
Hospitals should be required to prove they are providing the required level of community care in order to receive tax breaks.
59%
Hospitals should have the ability to expand capacity and open
new facilities without having to obtain special permission from
the state.
SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS SUPPORT
Commonsense education reforms
70%
Public school boards should be required to disclose proposed school curricula.
63%
Public schools should not provide instruction on gender
identity and sexual education for elementary students.
53%
Public schools should not teach critical race theory or its concepts.
51%
School board candidates should have their party affiliation listed on the ballot.
52%
The state should set aside education funds parents can use to enhance their children’s education.
SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS WANT
Reforms that will get South Carolinians back to work
67%
The state should grant new residents the same occupational license they had in their previous state as long as they pass the South Carolina background check and pay the licensing fee
60%
Individuals on unemployment should perform at least one
meaningful job search activity every business day.
47%
Unemployment benefits should be tied to current economic
conditions.1
SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS WANT
Reforms that unleash the power of a free economy
82%
The state should not invest state taxpayer dollars in banks and investment funds that make business decisions based on a political agenda.
62%
Utility companies in the state should be allowed to compete with one another for the business of customers.
60%
Local governments should be required to review and take action on new construction permits within 20 business days.
Results for this poll are based on automated telephone interviews conducted among a statewide sample of 518 likely South Carolina voters. Data for this survey research were collected by Cor Services Inc. The surveys were conducted September 24–26, 2022.
The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.31 percentage points. The margin of sampling error may be higher for certain subgroups. Results presented may not always appear to total 100 percent due to rounding.
Data were sampled using weighted demographic information from state election authorities. Demographic
information for actual voters in past elections were used to construct sample target weights.