Charleston County — Transportation Sales and Use Tax, Question 1

What it does

QUESTION 1 I approve a special sales and use tax in the amount of one-half (1/2) of one percent to be imposed in Charleston County for not more than twenty-five (25) years, or until a total of $4,250,000,000 in resulting revenue has been collected, whichever occurs first. The sales tax proceeds will be used to fund the following projects: Project (1) $2,702,000,000 For financing the costs of highways, roads, streets, bridges, and other transportation-related projects facilities, and drainage facilities related thereto, that include: Featured Projects: Rivers Avenue Railroad Overpass at Durant Avenue, Mall Drive (S -790) Improvements, Patriot Boulevard Widening, Better North Bridge Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements, Battery Extension West / Calhoun Street -Medical District, Hagood Avenue Improvements, Maybank Highway Southern Pitchfork and Roundabouts, Glenn McConnell Parkway at Magwood Road, US 17 South Widening from Dobbin Road to SC-162, Johnnie Dodds Boulevard at Houston Northcutt Boulevard and Wingo Way Improvements, Long Point Road Resiliency and Safety Improvements . Intersection Projects: Stall Road at Midland Park Road and Ashley Phosphate Road, Ladson Road at Palmetto Commerce Parkway, Ashley Phosphate Road at Cross County Road and Brandywine Road, US 78 at Limehouse Lane, Savannah Highway at Ashley Town Center Drive, Maybank Highway at Riverland Drive, Main Road at Mary Ann Point Roundabout, SC-162 at Salters Hill Roundabout, SC-174 at SC-164 Roundabout, Steed Creek Road at US 17 North, SC-45 at US 17 North. Whipple Road at Mathis Ferry Road and Lucy Beckham High School. Pavement Management: Resurfacing paved roads throughout Charleston County based on condition, traffic volume, safety requirements, and age of infrastructure, Rural Road Safety Program, Roadway Elevation Resiliency Program including Seabrook Island Road Project. Bike / Pedestrian Improvements: Bike and Pedestrian infrastructure throughout Charleston County, including but not limited to, Countywide Bike Ped Plan, Rivers Avenue Lowcountry Rapid Transit Last Mile Connections, City of Charleston Safe Streets for All Plan, Rethink Folly Road Plan, Mount Pleasant Way Plan. Other Projects: 2016 Sales and Use Tax Carryover Projects (Dorchester Road Widening and Palmetto Commerce Parkway Phase 3), Traffic Signal Synchronization, Reynolds Avenue Improvements, Noise Wall at Palmetto Commerce Interchange Project, and other future needs for highways, roads, streets, bridges, and drainage facilities. All featured projects, intersection projects, pavement management projects, and all other projects shall consider the inclusion of bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit access in the design process, as contextually appropriate. If any project listed above cannot be accomplished, the amounts of Sales and Use Tax associated will be applied to any other project listed above Project (2) $858,000,000 For financing the operation and expansion of public transit systems operated by Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) or jointly operated by the County and other governmental entities and the implementation of the Downtown Route Study. Project (3) $690,000,000 For financing the costs of greenbelts with a 50% urban and 50% rural allocation of the revenues, including but not limited to, purchasing land for conservation, conservation easements, passive greenspaces, public parks, access points to waterways; and protecting natural resources, agricultural landscapes, heritage landscapes, scenic corridors and water resources.

A YES vote means

Charleston County would impose a 1/2% sales tax for up to 25 years or until $4,250,000,000 is collected: $2,702,000,000 for roads, bridges and drainage, $858,000,000 for CARTA public transit, and $690,000,000 for greenbelts.

A NO vote means

Charleston County would not impose this 1/2% 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

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

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

Charleston County Council approved third and final reading of the 2026 Transportation Sales Tax program ordinance on July 21, 2026, according to a county news release.

The county says the measure would continue the existing 2004 half-cent transportation sales tax when that program completes collections, projected for 2027, and would generate about $4.25 billion over 25 years.

The county lists the program as $2.7 billion (63.57%) for roadway infrastructure, $858 million (20.19%) for public transit and $690 million (16.24%) for the Greenbelt Program.

Council also added ballot language requiring projects to consider bicycle, pedestrian and public transit access in design, as contextually appropriate.

Put on the ballot by Charleston County Council, third reading July 21, 2026 (vote not stated).

From official source.

Next elections here

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

Also on Charleston County ballots

• Charleston County — Education Capital Improvements Sales and Use Tax
• Charleston County — Transportation Sales and Use Tax, Question 2 (bonds)

All Charleston County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Charleston County mean?

Charleston County would impose a 1/2% sales tax for up to 25 years or until $4,250,000,000 is collected: $2,702,000,000 for roads, bridges and drainage, $858,000,000 for CARTA public transit, and $690,000,000 for greenbelts.

What does a NO vote on Charleston County mean?

Charleston County would not impose this 1/2% transportation sales tax.

How many votes does Charleston 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 Charleston 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.