What does a YES vote on Beaufort County mean?

Beaufort County would impose a 1% sales tax for up to nine years or until $780,000,000 is collected, for $326,000,000 in intersection and safety projects, $205,000,000 in road widening, and $249,000,000 in resurfacing and dirt road paving.

What does a NO vote on Beaufort County mean?

Beaufort County would not impose this 1% transportation sales tax.

How many votes does Beaufort County need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Beaufort County?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Beaufort County — Special Sales and Use Tax, Question 1

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:33 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026

What it does: I approve a special sales and use tax in the amount of one percent (1%) to be imposed in Beaufort County for not more than nine (9) years, or until a total of $780,000,000 in resulting revenue has been collected, whichever occurs first, to fund the following projects: For financing the costs of highways, roads, streets, bridges, and other transportation-related projects facilities related thereto including, but not limited to, drainage facilities relating to the highways, roads, streets, bridges, and other transportation-related projects including the following projects and estimated costs: Project (1) for Intersection and Safety Projects: $326,000,000 Ribaut Road/ Lady's Island Drive- Turn Lane Construction Traffic Signal Improvements (Countywide) SC 170/US 278 Diverging Diamond Interchange Squire Pope Road/William Hilton Parkway Improvements Ribaut Road Corridor Improvement (City of Beaufort) Lady's Island Drive/Meridian Road Improvements US 21 Improvements at Chowan Creek SC 170/SC 46 Intersection Conversion SC 462 Realignment SC 170 Corridor Improvements - (North of the Broad) Spanish Wells Road/William Hilton Parkway Improvements Savannah Highway/SC 170 Improvements Warsaw Island Road Bluffton Parkway/SC46 Roundabout Improvements B.E Wheatley Drive/Robert Smalls Parkway Signal US 278/Sun City Signal Improvements US 278/Buck Island Road Intersection Ribaut Road/Depot Road Intersection Gumtree Road Improvements US 278/Simmonsville Road Bluffton Parkway Improvements Gateway to Port Royal Improvements (Ribaut Road) SC 46/Gibbet Road Signal Grober Hill Road/Parris Island Gateway Intersection High Visibility Crosswalks & Rapid Flashing Beacons (Downtown Beaufort) SC 802/Short's Landing Road Signal Sea Pines Circle Evans Way/SC 170 Signalized Reduced Conflict Intersection Right-in/Right-out at Bluffton Parkway/Goethe Road Median Closings US 278 Old Jericho Road Bridge Replacement Goethe Road Resurfacing/Traffic Calming Main Street Road Improvements Grober Hill Road Corridor Improvements William Hilton Parkway- Chaplin Corridor SC 46/Stardust Lane Signal Buckwalter Parkway (HE McCracken Circle Section) Joe Frazier Road/Middleton Recreation Drive Roundabout Laurel Bay/Joe Frazier Roundabout Laurel Bay/Bay Pines Roundabout US 21/Shanklin Road Reduced Conflict Intersection US 21/Roseida Road Reduced Conflict Intersection Coordinated Message Boards for Woods Memorial Bridge (Downtown Beaufort) Middle Road/SC 802 Roundabout Improvements Guardrail on Middle Road (between Doe Road & Buck Road) Project (2) for Widening Projects: $205,000,000 Okatie Highway (SC 170) Okatie Highway (SC 46) West Fording Island Road (US 278) Robert T Smalls Parkway /Neil Road (SC 170) Project (3) for Resurfacing and Dirt Road Paving Projects: $249,000,000 County Dirt Roads: Arum Cir N Briars Creek Road Comet Lane Creek View Dr Dockside Lane Huspah Creek Dr Judge Island Dr Mr. McBryde Lane Najas Dr Nyssa Lane O'Connor Road Sandstone Cir Sawgrass Ct Sparkleberry Dr Sugar Hill Landing Road Sweet Grass Dr Worthington Road Kline Cir Municipal Resurfacing - City of Beaufort Municipal Resurfacing - Town of Port Royal Municipal Resurfacing -Town of HHI Municipal Resurfacing - Town of Bluffton Daufuskie Island Resurfacing: Cooper River Landing Road Haig Point Road Melrose Landing Road Old Haig Point Road Pappy's Landing Road Trask Parkway (US 17) Trask Parkway (US 21) Sea Island Parkway (US 21) Sam's Point Road (SC 802) Parris Island Gateway (US 21) Savannah Highway (SC 128) Robert Smalls Parkway (SC 170) Buckwalter Parkway Bluffton Parkway Fording Island Road (US 278) William Hilton Parkway (US 278 Business)
A YES vote means: Beaufort County would impose a 1% sales tax for up to nine years or until $780,000,000 is collected, for $326,000,000 in intersection and safety projects, $205,000,000 in road widening, and $249,000,000 in resurfacing and dirt road paving.
A NO vote means: Beaufort County would not impose this 1% transportation sales tax.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

Beaufort County Council passed third and final reading of the 2026 Transportation Sales Tax ordinance on June 22, 2026, according to the county.

The county says the tax would raise the sales tax from the state base rate of 6% to 7%, with rent, mortgage payments, gas, unprepared groceries and prescriptions exempt.

A second ballot question asks voters to approve up to $450 million in general obligation bonds payable from the tax, which the county says would let projects start sooner.

The county says the ordinance creates a citizen-led oversight committee, and that the project list followed public meetings of a Transportation Advisory Committee.

Put on the ballot by Beaufort County Council, third reading June 22, 2026 (vote not stated).

From official source.

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Beaufort County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

Next elections here

2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Beaufort County ballots

Beaufort County — Special Sales and Use Tax, Question 2 (bonds)

All Beaufort County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Beaufort County mean?: Beaufort County would impose a 1% sales tax for up to nine years or until $780,000,000 is collected, for $326,000,000 in intersection and safety projects, $205,000,000 in road widening, and $249,000,000 in resurfacing and dirt road paving.
What does a NO vote on Beaufort County mean?: Beaufort County would not impose this 1% transportation sales tax.
How many votes does Beaufort County need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Beaufort County?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Beaufort County ballot.

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections