Executive director of SC election commission fired, board says it wants new leadership

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The South Carolina State Election Commission announced Tuesday afternoon that its executive director has been fired.

In a statement to WIS on Wednesday, the election commission’s board said it has removed Executive Director Howard Knapp after they “expressed a desire for new leadership.”

Knapp was appointed in January 2022 as executive director and was confirmed by the South Carolina Senate in March 2023. He had previously served as the agency’s interim director and director of voter services.

The board said in its statement that Knapp’s firing was not related to “the conduct of any election in South Carolina” and that the commission’s leadership and staff “remain dedicated to ensuring South Carolina’s elections are accurate, secure, and accessible.”

Chief of Sta