The Challenge: South Carolina's roads, bridges, and public infrastructure have not kept pace with one of the nation's fastest population growth rates, raising questions about road safety, commute times, and long-term planning.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants from every region and political background share this frustration. One described the state as "confronted with a gap in services, technology, infrastructure…as if we are back in the 1990s." Others report spending "countless dollars on vehicle repair" from potholes, while commuters say trips that once took minutes now take "twice as long or more." A Lowcountry participant put it simply: "75% of the roads need lines painted — nothing like guessing if you’re in your lane." From the Upstate to the Pee Dee, the message is the same: "we continue to develop our land and build, but we never develop infrastructure to support any of it."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is agreement across all age groups (18 to 70+), all four regions, urban and rural participants, and the full political spectrum from very conservative to very liberal.
The Challenge: The South Carolina legislature spends significant time on divisive cultural and social issues while constituents identify infrastructure, education, and healthcare as their daily priorities.
What do South Carolinians think? This frustration bridges partisan lines. One participant said the division in the statehouse "is making all of us sick and tired of politics — to the point that we are all checked out." A self-described right-leaning independent wrote that polarization "has pulled apart family and friends." Others urged legislators to "stay in their lane and focus on strengthening the economy, improving infrastructure, and keeping communities safe — not policing private choices." A common refrain: officials should focus on "actual issues that we are dealing with like cost of housing, funding for education, improving infrastructure, not spending time on things that will have minimal impacts."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is strong agreement. Ideas about legislative misfocus earned significant consensus across age groups, regions, and political leanings. Moderate, conservative, and liberal participants express this as a shared exhaustion.
The Challenge: South Carolina consistently ranks near the bottom nationally in K-12 education, amid debates over school funding, vouchers, teacher retention, and workforce readiness.
What do South Carolinians think? Education draws more individual ideas than any other topic. One educator called SC's low ranking "one of the biggest challenges" and noted "every politician on both sides seems to ignore" it. Participants urged the state to "learn a lesson from Mississippi, who found new ways to improve education." Vocational training drew especially broad support: "young adults should be offered a path to a career working with their hands if college isn't a fit for them." A grandparent wrote simply that "education generates tomorrow’s citizens and they deserve better." Multiple participants linked education directly to poverty: "education is essential to lifting South Carolinians out of poverty."
Consensus Across Demographics: This is a broad concern across demographics. Ideas like expanding vocational pathways and improving literacy show little political polarization. The widest gap is on voucher policy, though both sides agree the current system falls short.
The Challenge: South Carolina earned a C+ on a 2025 national healthcare scorecard, with 41 of 46 counties designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas, high maternal mortality rates, and rising insurance premiums.
What do South Carolinians think? Healthcare is deeply personal across the state. One participant reported that premiums jumped "from $18 a month to $200 a month," adding that "many families will not be able to afford this." Another said health insurance would consume "30% of my income." One rural participant described provider deserts: "there is only one children’s hospital in all of central South Carolina" and "rural areas have very little to no OB/GYN." A 26-year healthcare practitioner called the system "broken" and said, "I want to save lives — South Carolina needs a better healthcare system for all." On fixed incomes, the refrain is blunt: "I can’t pay the insurance fees."
Consensus Across Demographics: Healthcare access concerns earn broad consensus across all regions, age groups, and both urban and rural communities. Political polarization is very low on ideas focused on cost and rural access — conservatives and liberals alike identify a system that is failing.
The Challenge: Citizens believe taxpayer money is being mismanaged with insufficient transparency, and that the legislature lacks the accountability mechanisms to prevent fraud and waste, as well as concerns about political immunity.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe a pattern of dysfunction. One wrote that "legislators intentionally misuse the time they spend in session to misdirect and stall bills." Another said simply: "follow the money — just how you get there is the issue." The call for honesty is direct — "make it illegal for South Carolina politicians to lie to their constituents even if they are not under oath" earned 99% approval. Frustration with insider culture is widespread: participants want to "demolish the good ole boy network" and noted that "politicians with the highest approval seem to be those who do NOTHING."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is strong support across every demographic group. Ideas about government honesty and spending transparency earn some of the lowest polarization scores measured, confirming this as a genuinely unifying concern regardless of party, age, race, or region.
The Challenge: South Carolinians express widespread concern about whether the current electoral system consistently produces fair, transparent, and representative outcomes, highlighting ongoing debates around election security, voter access, campaign finance transparency, and potential reforms such as ranked choice voting.
What do South Carolinians think? Confidence in elections matters across political identities. One participant noted that "despite a very transparent voting process, people still question the security of our elections" and called for state-sponsored voter education. Another argued that "switching from primaries to ranked voting would help eliminate the extreme partisan nature of our legislature." Practical access matters too: "since people can register at the DMV, is there an option for transportation to the polls?" Several called for a public directory of candidates with "a clear position on a set list of topics — personally written and signed by the candidate."
Consensus Across Demographics: Ideas focused on voting confidence and transparency earn broad cross-demographic support with very low political polarization. Specific reform proposals like ranked choice voting draw more modest consensus. Voter access ideas earn support from urban and rural participants and across age groups.
The Challenge: South Carolina has no term limits for state legislators, and some officials have served for decades, raising questions about accountability, turnover, and responsiveness to constituents.
What do South Carolinians think? This is the closest thing to unanimous opinion in the dataset. One participant wrote: "no more senators/representatives that stay forever, and think more of making money and sucking up to the top income makers instead of looking after their own people." Another argued that "no one should be in office longer than a President — being an elected representative should not be a full-time job." A third urged "all politicians to provide their financial information before, during, and the last year they are in office as a way to monitor corruption." Multiple ideas on this topic received zero dislikes.
Consensus Across Demographics: There is wide-scale agreement that term limits are important and needed.
The Challenge: South Carolina has approved several large data center projects with significant tax incentives, raising questions about job creation, resource consumption, community input, and public transparency.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants feel misled. One wrote that data centers "mislead the uneducated into assuming they must employ hundreds of people while in reality, only a few dozen employees are ever hired." Another described these projects as "proposed clandestinely to local governments who are often required to keep the project secret." A Marion County contributor was alarmed that "the agreement was made hurriedly, with little fanfare, leaving us little time to voice concerns." Others pointed out that "a single AI data center uses the electricity equivalent of more than 500,000 houses." The consistent message: "citizens do not want these in our communities."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is clear agreement across demographics. Many conservative and liberal South Carolinians jointly oppose these subsidies. Urban and rural communities share concern about resource consumption. Political polarization is among the lowest in the entire dataset.
The Challenge: South Carolina is one of the few states without a structured citizen input mechanism or recall process, limiting South Carolinian’s’ ability to directly influence policy when elected officials do not act.
What do South Carolinians think? The demand for direct democratic tools reflects deep frustration. One participant wrote: "if we have a right to vote for them believing that they will serve our communities the right way, then we should be able to vote them out." Another noted that "in most states, there is a citizen referendum process and South Carolina does not have this, and I feel it limits South Carolinians’ ability to have their voices heard." A third proposed: "I would like to see a system where the citizens of each state get to vote on laws and regulations — ask the citizens instead." This is the highest-consensus topic in the entire dataset.
Consensus Across Demographics: There is strong agreement across all demographics. Participants from all age groups, regions, and political leanings support giving citizens direct democratic tools.
The Challenge: South Carolinians feel burdened by property taxes, particularly seniors who feel they are unaffordable and creating major pressures on fixed incomes, similar to vehicle taxes.
What do South Carolinians think? Tax relief is emotionally charged. One senior wrote: "why should seniors lose their home when they have to choose between groceries or paying bills?" A retired NYC firefighter was frustrated that his pension, untaxed in New York, is now taxed in South Carolina: "I shouldn’t have to pay taxes on something I worked for in another state." Others describe vehicle taxes as fundamentally unfair: "tax me when I buy it, tax me when I sell it — do not tax me every year for owning it." Several individuals pointed to the homestead exemption that was set in 2000 and there is a proposed bill to increase the exemption to $150K, which is encouraged. The recurring sentiment: "you never really own anything; you rent it from the tax office."
Consensus Across Demographics: Property tax relief support across political leanings and regions. Conservative and liberal retirees share the same frustration. Vehicle tax concerns transcend all demographic groups.
The Challenge: Housing costs across South Carolina have outpaced wage growth, creating affordability challenges for essential workers, students, seniors, and first-time homebuyers in both urban and rural areas.
What do South Carolinians think? The housing squeeze is personal at every age. A student described difficulty "finding housing that is convenient and affordable" while already paying high tuition. A 56-year-old wrote bluntly: "I’m considering getting roommates — not cool — just to survive." One participant said "for lower wage workers in hospitality and retail, homeownership is a pipe dream — finding any homes under $200k is nearly an impossibility." Seniors in mobile home parks described investment firms that "increase fees at 16% and change leases month by month." A young participant warned that rising costs are "genuinely pricing an entire generation out of being able to start families." The overarching theme: "the American Dream is slipping out of reach."
Consensus Across Demographics: Housing concerns span all age groups, regions, and political leanings with very low political polarization. Urban and rural participants share frustration. Ideas about workforce housing and mobile home park protections earn particularly broad cross-partisan support.
The Challenge: Public polling shows majority support for cannabis legalization in South Carolina, yet the legislature has moved to further restrict cannabis and hemp products, affecting an established hemp industry and preventing access for medical needs.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants frame legalization as an economic opportunity. One wrote: "I lived in Washington State when they legalized and use among the underaged actually went down, and the state generates over $500 million annually in tax revenue." A hemp industry worker warned that "banning hemp is going to force people to seek unsafe options from the street — thousands of SC jobs are at risk." Multiple participants connected the issues directly: "legalize marijuana and use the taxes for fixing the roads", a concept one South Carolinian branded "pot for potholes." Medical benefits were cited repeatedly: "the use of medical cannabis would be very advantageous for chronically ill people." A common frustration: "over 60% of the state supports legalization and I don’t understand why our representatives are not enacting laws to provide for the wishes of the majority."
Consensus Across Demographics: Top ideas draw upvotes from conservative, moderate, and liberal participants. Hemp industry protection earns particularly broad support. Ideas tying legalization to infrastructure funding show demographic bridging across all regions.
The Challenge: Rapid residential and commercial development is transforming South Carolina’s landscape, consuming wetlands, farmland, and forests while placing pressure on local infrastructure and services.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants across the state are watching their communities change. A Lowcountry contributor wrote: "I’m concerned with the loss of our wetlands to overdevelopment. A huge part of our charm and popularity are our natural resources and they’re now being destroyed." In the Upstate, another said: "I’m so disgusted that so many trees have been cut down to make way for apartments and shopping centers." Rural participants describe "developers buying up all the farmlands around us," with one warning that "losing agriculture is huge; it’s the state’s backbone." In Myrtle Beach: "there needs to be a moratorium because we don’t have the infrastructure to support all the excessive development." The shared sentiment: "we do not need to pave every inch of land."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is cross-demographic agreement on this topic. Conservative and liberal South Carolinians alike express concern about unregulated development. Support comes from all four regions.
The Challenge: Litter along South Carolina’s highways, back roads, and communities is a persistent problem, raising questions about enforcement, fines, and community pride.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe a state they want to be proud of. One wrote: "I am astounded at the amount of trash that lines the sides of roads — entire bags of empty food containers, empty liquor bottles and beer cans." Another said: "our state is beautiful, however it is shocking how much litter is next to the streets — other states don’t have as much debris." Solutions offered include "$500 fine signs like other states" and a "statewide container refund program." One participant put it plaintively: "I would like to be proud of South Carolina, but litter and garbage is on streets and blows around."
Consensus Across Demographics: One of the most strongly supported issues in the dataset. Every age group, region, and political leaning agrees. Urban and rural participants share equal frustration.
The Challenge: South Carolina’s legislative districts are raising concerns about fair representation, competitive elections, and whether voters or politicians choose electoral outcomes.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe feeling voiceless. One wrote simply: "40% of the people have no voice — I am not heard or seen by lawmakers." Another called for an "independent commission of citizens to draw all districts." A contributor framed it in historical terms: "gerrymandering enforces taxation without representation and allows politicians to pick their voters rather than the other way around." Others proposed data-driven approaches: "redistricting should use an algorithmic approach — let the chips fall where they may." Even some who currently benefit from the system express concern: "partisan gerrymandering is legal, but it’s a problem, and it’s not very popular even with the people who benefit from it."
Consensus Across Demographics: Support spans liberals, moderates, and some conservatives. All four regions and age groups are represented. Ideas proposing independent or algorithmic redistricting show particularly limited political polarization.
The Challenge: Concerns about misinformation and deliberate falsehoods by public officials are affecting public discourse and trust in institutions across South Carolina.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants want consequences for dishonesty. The call to "make it illegal for South Carolina politicians to lie to their constituents even if they are not under oath" earned 99% approval. Another wrote that "mis- and disinformation campaigns polarize South Carolinians and warp objective facts" and argued that "public officials should be removed from office for intentionally and knowingly lying."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is wide-scale consensus across demographics. There is shared support in government honesty. Support comes from all age groups and regions, with both conservative and liberal participants agreeing that officials should face consequences for deliberate falsehoods.
The Challenge: South Carolina faces major failures in its foster care system due to inadequate vetting, underfunding, and child safety risks.
What do South Carolinians think? There was a distinct call to improve the state-managed foster care system. Families describe a system that is “dysfunctional, underfunded, and never talked about.” The foster care system drew emotional testimony: "these are traumatized children with no hope, no rights, no voice, no future. How many more children will we allow to fall through the cracks?" A grandmother shared a devastating personal experience: "my great granddaughter was killed by foster/adopting parents and she is not the only child this has happened to." Child support enforcement was also raised: "there needs to be an ongoing program to collect court ordered child support — it is financially necessary for single parents and grandparents."
Consensus Across Demographics: Childhood trauma prevention and foster care reform draw agreement across political groups. Child support enforcement and early childhood investment also earn cross-partisan support.
The Challenge: South Carolina’s animal cruelty penalties are among the weakest in the region, while shelters report severe overcrowding and underfunding.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe a state that has fallen behind. One wrote: "animals literally cannot advocate for themselves and suffer tremendously in SC — our shelters are past completely filled and horribly underfunded." Another, who moved to SC three years ago, said they were "amazed at the level of abuse, neglect and cruelty" and the "very lenient punishment for abusers."
Consensus Across Demographics: One of the least politically polarized issues in the entire dataset. There is support from all age groups, regions, and political leanings. Urban and rural participants share concern equally.
The Challenge: Homeowner, auto, and health insurance premiums in South Carolina have risen sharply, with few regulatory checks on rate increases and it is contributing to financial pressures.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe unsustainable costs. One wrote: "hundreds of thousands of homeowners' policies have more than doubled in under 5 years — premiums are going up, deductibles are going up, coverages are going down." Another noted that "Blue Cross Blue Shield is the only healthcare option for the self-insured — why can’t United, Aetna, etc. come in?" A retired couple described how "home and flood insurance along with car insurance depletes a double income down to one to pay all the other bills — it is now unsustainable." South Carolinians call for opening the market to more competition to bring costs down.
Consensus Across Demographics: There is support from all age groups, regions, and political leanings. This is a pocketbook issue that unites South Carolinians regardless of other differences.
The Challenge: South Carolina is one of two states where the legislature selects judges, raising questions about judicial independence, while family court backlogs leave families waiting months or years for resolution.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants see structural problems. One noted: "South Carolina is 1 of 2 states where the legislature has the sole power to select judges — neither the Governor nor the voters have any voice." The conflict of interest is clear to many: "lawyer legislators should not screen, nominate, or select judicial candidates who may preside over their, or their firms’, cases." Family courts draw particular anguish: "SC has some of the longest family court wait times in the country — families wait months for temporary hearings and years for final ones." Another participant attended a hearing where "a Magistrate violated a citizen’s rights and there was no way to get a transcript — courtrooms must be recorded."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is cross-demographic support for judicial reform with low political polarization. Separating the judiciary from legislative control and recording court proceedings earn backing from conservatives, moderates, and liberals across all regions.
The Challenge: Across all backgrounds are struggling to afford basic living expenses, with wages failing to keep pace with rising costs for essentials like food, housing, and healthcare, leaving working families, seniors on fixed incomes, and long-time workers unable to meet everyday needs.
What do South Carolinians think? The affordability squeeze is felt across generations. A manufacturing worker wrote: "my co-workers and I make $12 an hour — it is barely enough to live on." A 71-year-old on a fixed income reported: "groceries usually run me over $100 each week." A college-educated participant asked: "I’ve worked for 20 years and why can’t I afford the basics?" Another described the "I’ve gone to food banks and my kids have been bullied because of it."
Consensus Across Demographics: Cost of living concerns are shared across all demographics. Ideas framed around affordability and basic needs earn consensus from conservative, moderate, and liberal voters alike. Specific minimum wage proposals generate modest additional division.
The Challenge: South Carolina faces high maternal mortality rates, driven in part by limited access to maternal care providers and gaps in healthcare access.
What do South Carolinians think? This issue generates strong engagement, with 82% approval, though perspectives vary more across political groups than other topics. South Carolina faces significant risks for women driven by reduced access to care, provider shortages, and gaps in timely, quality healthcare. One woman shared the life-saving importance of timely care: “I would be dead if that happened now,” while providers emphasize the need for patient-centered medical decision-making and improved access to care for women.
Consensus Across Demographics: While topics around this issue are polarizing, there is broad consensus that women and their children need better care to ensure they are healthy. In particular, there needs to be improved access to care in rural areas.
The Challenge: Unlimited corporate campaign donations allow special interests to dominate South Carolina’s political process, and citizens want the state to impose greater transparency on corporate influence in elections.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants across the spectrum share this concern. One person noted that "politicians can hide where they are getting donations by taking money from PAC funds" and that "this money can be from out-of-state oligarchs." The time cost is also a concern: "politicians spend as much as 50% of their time fundraising rather than performing legislative activities — many actually leave the floor to make fundraising phone calls."
Consensus Across Demographics: There is cross-demographic agreement on this topic. Conservatives, moderates, and liberals all support transparency. All regions and age groups are represented
The Challenge: Electricity rates in South Carolina have risen with new peak-hour pricing structures and limited competitive alternatives for consumers.
What do South Carolinians think? Participants describe costs that have spiraled. One wrote: "since moving here 6 years ago, our power bill has gone from $200 to over $1,070 — they just proposed another 12% rate hike." Peak-hour pricing draws particular frustration: "paying $65 for one hour for making a cup of coffee and turning on a light or two to get ready for work." A retiree described Dominion Energy raising rates "to an unaffordable level" and noted that the state-owned Santee Cooper "answers to no one — no utilities board." Others push for alternatives: "solar electricity is now the cheapest energy — the state needs to facilitate solarizing all new buildings." The core question: "no one should have to choose between paying a power bill and buying groceries."
Consensus Across Demographics: Utility cost concerns are shared by all demographics. Urban and rural participants, seniors and young families, conservatives and liberals all feel the squeeze. Ideas about solar energy and rate reform earn cross-partisan support.
The Challenge: South Carolina’s water protection laws, industrial oversight standards, and environmental review processes have come under scrutiny as federal regulations are rolled back and development pressures increase.
What do South Carolinians think? Concern crosses traditional political lines. A farmer wrote: "high quality water is a keystone of our survival." A biologist and cancer survivor described "helicopters and road crews spraying herbicides that are known toxins." Coastal participants want action on "microplastics polluting our beautiful coastline and river systems — these chemical sponges get ingested by the local shrimp and fish we eat." Others identified regulatory gaps: "SC has some of the weakest water-protection laws in the nation" with no "environmental review for chemical-using industries." Forest advocates and wetland defenders share the same core message: "Carolina bays, our lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, and wetlands that help maintain clean water must be prioritized."
Consensus Across Demographics: Environmental protection ideas earn support across all regions and demographics with low measured political polarization. Conservative farmers, moderate suburbanites, and liberal environmentalists share concern about water safety and industrial oversight.
