Incumbent Republican Ellen Weaver won a second term as South Carolina superintendent of education, defeating North Charleston native Sylvia Wright by nearly three percentage points in the Nov. 3 general election.

Weaver received about 51% of the vote to Wright’s 48%, with approximately 56,000 votes separating the candidates, according to unofficial results reported by the South Carolina Daily Gazette. United Citizens Party candidate Baba Amin Ojuok received about 1%.

The South Carolina Election Commission's results page provides the state's election returns. Results had not been certified as of Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Wright, a Democrat with more than 20 years in education, grew up in North Charleston and graduated from Fort Dorchester High School, according to her campaign website. She attended Lambs Elementary, Goodwin Elementary and Oakbrook Middle School before graduating from Fort Dorchester.

Her teaching career began in 2004 at Mayewood Middle School in Sumter. She spent most of her classroom years teaching English and social studies to middle school students in several counties, including Berkeley County, according to the Post and Courier. Before launching her campaign, Wright worked as a curriculum specialist and district coordinator for Dorchester County School District 4.

Wright won the Democratic primary on June 9, defeating Lisa Ellis, according to ABC News 4.

Had she won the general election, Wright would have been the first Democrat to serve as state superintendent since Jim Rex won the office in 2006. Rex's victory came by fewer than 500 votes, according to the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

Weaver, a Republican, was first elected as South Carolina's 19th State Superintendent of Education on Nov. 8, 2022, according to the South Carolina Department of Education. She holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Bob Jones University.

During the campaign, Wright called for universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds and a $60,000 statewide starting salary for teachers, with $2,000 annual step increases. She also advocated for sustainable pay raises for support staff, including bus drivers and cafeteria workers, the Post and Courier reported.

Wright proposed working with South Carolina universities and technical schools to offer free tuition in exchange for five years of teaching, according to WIS News 10.

Wright said she traveled to all 46 South Carolina counties during her campaign, the Post and Courier reported.

Weaver's victory comes as she continues to oversee education policy for the state's 72 public school districts. Her second term follows a campaign in which she advocated for expanding school choice and Wright centered her platform on early childhood education and changes to the state's public education system, according to the South Carolina Daily Gazette.