An election in the U.S. state of South Carolina was held on November 3, 1964 to elect 23 of the South Carolina Senate's 46 members to four-year terms. Five of the 23 seats were at stake in the general election, four contested by Republicans and one by a draft write-in campaign. Every seat up for election was won by the nominee of the Democratic Party. For most seats, the real contests were the Democratic primary elections, with a first round on June 9 and a runoff election on June 23.

Of the 23 senators up for re-election, all sought another term. In the first round of the Democratic primary, seventeen incumbent senators won renomination outright, ten of whom were unopposed. Four senators lost renomination outright, including a reversed result, and two advanced to a runoff. One senator won renomination and the other lost renomination in the runoff.

1963–64 special elections Chester County A special election was held on September 8, 1964, to fill the unexpired term of Chester County state senator Wilbur G. Grant to serve until the 1966 general election. Grant died of a heart attack in June 1964. Political newcomer Paul Hemphill Jr., cousin of U.S. representative and federal judge Robert W. Hemphill, defeated J. D. Leitner 2,994 votes to 2,186 votes in the Democratic primary on July 28. Hemphill did not draw any Republican or independent opposition and won the subsequent special general election with 1,026 votes, with only five write-in votes cast against him. He took office on September 16.

Overview County Incumbents Candidates Result Senator Party Aiken Edward Cushman DemocraticGeneral election: Edward Cushman (Democratic) 12,788 votes, 51.55% Marion Hartzog Smoak (Republican) 12,019 votes, 48.45% Democratic primary: Edward Cushman Incumbent re-elected. Bamberg P. Eugene Brabham Democratic Frank R. Hartzog P. Eugene Brabham Incumbent lost renomination.New member elected.Democratic hold. Barnwell Edgar Allan Brown Democratic Edgar Allan Brown Incumbent re-elected. Beaufort James M. Waddell Jr. Democratic James M. Waddell Jr. Lou M. Neale Incumbent re-elected. Calhoun Marion Gressette Democratic Marion Gressette Incumbent re-elected. Dorchester H. H. Jessen Democratic H. H. Jessen W. S. Horne Incumbent re-elected. Edgefield Frank E. Timmerman Democratic William A. Reels Frank E. Timmerman Incumbent lost renomination.New member elected.Democratic hold. Fairfield Ben F. Hornsby DemocraticGeneral election: John A. Martin (Democratic) 2,603 votes, 57.51% Ben F. Hornsby (Write-in) 1,923 votes, 42.49% Democratic primary: John A. Martin 2,088 votes, 50.05% Ben F. Hornsby: 2,084 votes, 49.95% Incumbent lost renomination.New member elected.Democratic hold. Georgetown C. C. Grimes Democratic C. C. Grimes Incumbent re-elected. Greenville P. Bradley Morrah Democratic P. Bradley Morrah Incumbent re-elected. Greenwood Francis Nicholson DemocraticGeneral election: Francis Nicholson (Democratic) 8,903 votes, 79.17% Olyn L. Gee (Republican) 2,342 votes, 20.83% Democratic primary: Francis Nicholson Marion P. Carnell Incumbent re-elected. Horry James P. Stevens Democratic James P. Stevens E. Windell McCrackin G. Stanley Bryant Incumbent re-elected. Jasper Henry C. Walker Democratic Henry C. Walker Incumbent re-elected. Laurens King Dixon DemocraticDemocratic runoff: W. C. Dobbins: 3,228 votes, 51.92% King Dixon: 2,989 votes, 48.08% Democratic primary: King Dixon W. C. Dobbins David S. Taylor Incumbent lost renomination.New member elected.Democratic hold. Lexington Francis C. Jones DemocraticGeneral election: F. Beasley Smith (Democratic) 8,789 votes, 55.24% G. Wilson Hunter (Republican) 7,123 votes, 44.76% Democratic primary: F. Beasley Smith Francis C. Jones Incumbent lost renomination.New member elected.Democratic hold. Marion J. Ralph Gasque Democratic J. Ralph Gasque Incumbent re-elected. McCormick L. L. Hester Democratic L. L. Hester Hugh C. Brown Incumbent re-elected. Newberry J. F. Hawkins Democratic J. F. Hawkins Incumbent re-elected. Oconee Marshall J. Parker Democratic Marshall J. Parker S. P. Wells Incumbent re-elected. Orangeburg Marshall B. Williams Democratic Marshall B. Williams Incumbent re-elected. Saluda Fred G. Scurry Democratic Fred G. Scurry W. F. Sample Incumbent re-elected. Spartanburg Charles C. Moore DemocraticDemocratic runoff: Charles C. Moore: 8,503 votes, 56.21% Paul Moore: 6,625 votes, 43.79% Democratic primary: Charles C. Moore Paul Moore John A. Munn Incumbent re-elected. York Robert W. Hayes DemocraticGeneral election: Robert W. Hayes (Democratic) 19,423 votes, 84.99% Clark Adicks (Republican) 3,430 votes, 15.01% Democratic primary: Robert W. Hayes Incumbent re-elected.

Fairfield Democratic primary controversy In the first round of the Democratic primary for Fairfield County's state senate seat, incumbent senator Ben F. Hornsby appeared to defeat former senator John Martin by six votes in unofficial tallies. After a mandatory recount, Hornsby's lead grew to eleven votes for a final vote count of 2,082–2,071, and the county Democratic executive committee certified Hornsby's nomination. Martin did not concede, and chose to appeal the decision to the state Democratic executive committee. The SDEC met in Columbia in June 30 to settle the dispute.

Twenty-five ballots were in question. In the original recount, the county had thrown out twenty-three for being improperly marked. Upon further examination of the ballots, the SDEC determined that seventeen belonged to Martin, four to Hornsby, with the remaining four being unintelligible. This was enough to reverse the election in Martin's favor, and the SDEC ruled Martin the victor, 2,088 votes to 2,084, a four-vote margin. Upon learning of his defeat, Senator Hornsby left the meeting and checked out of his hotel.

Hornsby declined to fight the ruling in the courts. Under South Carolina law, candidates who lost a primary could not contest or campaign in the general election. A write-in campaign led by Columbia attorney Malcolm E. Rentz was organized without consulting Hornsby in an attempt to re-elect him. A large number of local voters backed the effort, but it was ultimately unsuccessful, as Democratic nominee Martin was elected over Hornsby at the general election by 680 votes, 2,603 to 1,923.

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