S.C. Const. art. VII, § 1

Formation of new counties; county seats and names. The General Assembly may establish new Counties in the following manner: Whenever one-third of the qualified electors within the area of each section of an old County proposed to be cut off to form a new County shall petition the Governor for the creation of a new County, setting forth the boundaries and showing compliance with the requirements of this Article, the Governor shall order an election, within a reasonable time thereafter, by the qualified electors within the proposed area, in which election they shall vote “Yes” or “No” upon the question of creating said new County; and at the same election the question of a name and a County seat for such County shall be submitted to the electors.