Claflin Poll – 2024 Elections

Conducted by the Public Opinion and Social Behavior Research Institute (POSBRI) in October 2024, the Claflin Poll surveyed more than 1,000 South Carolina residents to measure voter preferences, public priorities, and key issues leading into the November 2024 General Election. The findings provide valuable insight into the opinions shaping one of the state's most significant election cycles.

Key Findings

The following charts and summaries highlight the major results from the 2024 Claflin Poll, including voter preferences, issue priorities, and demographic trends across South Carolina.

1. Presidential Race Overview

The poll shows a more competitive presidential race in South Carolina, with former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by approximately 7.1 percentage points. The breakdown of likely voter support is as follows:

Donald Trump 49.94%
Kamala Harris 42.84%
Undecided 4.77%

Although Trump holds the lead, the findings suggest a more competitive contest in South Carolina than in previous election cycles.

2. Voter Turnout Expectations

Voter engagement appears high among respondents.

Definitely Voting 69.85%
Probably Voting 11.44%

With more than 80% of respondents indicating that they will definitely or probably vote, South Carolina could experience strong voter turnout.

3. Top Issues Driving the Vote

When asked to identify the most important issue influencing their vote, respondents cited the following:

Economy and Jobs 51.54%
Immigration 12.44%
Healthcare 11.04%
National Security 7.26%
Climate Change 3.78%

The economy and jobs were the leading concerns, ranking as the top priority for more than half of respondents.

4. Satisfaction with National and State Direction

Satisfaction with the Nation's Direction

  • Very dissatisfied: 39.30%
  • Very satisfied: 6.37%

Satisfaction with South Carolina's Direction

  • Somewhat satisfied: 27.06%
  • Very satisfied: 8.56%

Respondents reported greater satisfaction with the direction of South Carolina than with the direction of the nation, although dissatisfaction remained notable.

5. Media Consumption and Trust

Primary News Sources

  • Television: 43.68%
  • Online news: 24.48%
  • Social media: 20.90%

Trust in Primary Media Sources

  • Completely trust: 14.53%
  • Somewhat trust: 43.98%

Trust in media sources remains moderate, with only a small percentage of respondents reporting complete trust in their primary news sources.

Conclusion

The 2024 Claflin Poll found that former President Donald Trump held an advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris in South Carolina's presidential race. Although the contest appeared more competitive than in previous election cycles, Trump maintained a lead driven largely by voter concerns about the economy and jobs.

The findings also indicated that undecided voters and anticipated turnout could influence the final results. As the election approached, both candidates faced the challenge of addressing the issues most important to South Carolina voters, particularly economic stability, employment, healthcare, and immigration.

About the Poll

The 2024 South Carolina Election Poll was conducted by the Public Opinion and Social Behavior Research Institute (POSBRI) at Claflin University. The study was designed to provide insight into voter behavior, candidate preferences, public priorities, and the key issues shaping the November 2024 national election.

Survey Sample 1,005 Residents
Geographic Focus South Carolina
Margin of Error ±3%

For additional information or to request access to the full report, please contact:

Dr. Kwadwo Poku-Agyemang

Dr. Kwadwo Poku-Agyemang

Public Opinion and Social Behavior Research Institute (POSBRI)
Claflin University


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