The 1916 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 7, 1916 to select seven Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on August 29 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on September 12. Six incumbents were re-elected, but Wyatt Aiken of the 3rd congressional district was defeated in the Democratic primary. The seat was retained by the Democrats and the composition of the state delegation remained solely Democratic.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Richard S. Whaley of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1913, defeated James G. Padgett in the Democratic primary and Republican J.O. Ladd in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Richard S. Whaley
7,522
60.5
James G. Padgett
4,907
39.5
General election results[]
South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Richard S. Whaley (incumbent)
4,999
95.4
-3.1
Republican
J.O. Ladd
240
4.6
+3.6
Majority
4,759
90.8
-6.7
Turnout
5,239
Democratichold
2nd congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman James F. Byrnes of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1911, defeated Alvin Etheredge in the Democratic primary and Republican Isaac Myers in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
James F. Byrnes
6,785
79.6
Alvin Etheredge
1,742
20.4
General election results[]
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
James F. Byrnes (incumbent)
7,681
98.5
-1.5
Republican
Isaac Myers
120
1.5
+1.5
Majority
7,561
97.0
-3.0
Turnout
7,801
Democratichold
3rd congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Wyatt Aiken of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1903, was defeated in the Democratic primary by Frederick H. Dominick. He was unopposed in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Frederick H. Dominick
7,021
29.1
Wyatt Aiken
6,095
25.3
Henry C. Tillman
4,862
20.1
A.H. Dagnell
3,814
15.8
John A. Horton
2,344
9.7
Democratic primary runoff
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Frederick H. Dominick
12,762
55.3
+26.2
Wyatt Aiken
10,298
44.7
+19.4
General election results[]
South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Frederick H. Dominick
9,447
100.0
0.0
No party
Write-Ins
1
0.0
0.0
Majority
9,446
100.0
0.0
Turnout
9,448
Democratichold
4th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Samuel J. Nicholls of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1915, won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican G.F. Mills in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Samuel J. Nicholls
12,901
72.0
D.B. Traxler
3,391
18.9
J.H. Miller
1,623
9.1
General election results[]
South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Samuel J. Nicholls (incumbent)
11,312
99.4
-0.6
Republican
G.F. Mills
74
0.6
+0.6
Majority
11,238
98.8
-1.2
Turnout
11,386
Democratichold
5th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman David E. Finley of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1899, defeated William F. Stevenson in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
David E. Finley
9,617
52.2
William F. Stevenson
8,803
47.8
General election results[]
South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
David E. Finley (incumbent)
8,846
100.0
0.0
Majority
8,846
100.0
0.0
Turnout
8,846
Democratichold
6th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman J. Willard Ragsdale of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1913, won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican W.L. McFarlan in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
J. Willard Ragsdale
10,220
52.2
Julius S. McInnes
7,981
40.7
Josiah J. Evans
1,398
7.1
General election results[]
South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
J. Willard Ragsdale (incumbent)
9,767
99.1
-0.9
Republican
W.L. McFarlan
87
0.9
+0.9
Majority
9,680
98.2
-1.8
Turnout
9,854
Democratichold
7th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Asbury Francis Lever of the 7th congressional district, in office since 1901, defeated Republican challenger I.S. Leevy.
General election results[]
South Carolina's 7th congressional district election results, 1916
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Asbury F. Lever (incumbent)
9,817
93.5
-1.6
Republican
I.S. Leevy
683
6.5
+2.4
Majority
9,134
87.0
-4.0
Turnout
10,500
Democratichold
See also[]
United States House of Representatives elections, 1916
Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 98, 101, 105, 110, 115, 119.
"Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina. Part II." Reports and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume II. Columbia, SC: 1917, pp. 3–4.