4 new members named for Richland County Elections board

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC (WIS) - Only one member from the former Richland County Election Commission will remain on the new board named by county leaders Friday.

The Richland County delegation met Friday afternoon and voted in five new members for the Election Commission. The only two incumbents vying for a seat were Adell Adams and Elaine Dubose. Adams was renamed to the board. Dubose came in sixth place.

E. Peter Kennedy received the highest number of votes to be on the Election Commission. Other new members include Marjorie Johnson, Sylvia Holley and Jane Emerson.

The announcement for the new members came after a discussion among Richland County elected officials on whether former board members should be replaced.

"I think there was a lot of contention at the beginning of the meeting as to whether we should put any incumbents back on," said Rep. Todd Rutherford (D-Richland). "But it is up to the individual members how they vote. We need some institutional memory to carry the board forward."

That "institutional memory" will go to Adams.

Following the November 2012 election, the Election Commission came under fire after there were long lines to vote and not enough working voting machines.

"The delegation is going to make sure this is a positive change," Rutherford said. "We are going to start scheduling meetings with the Election Commission to make sure there are no problems. County Council will be involved. All elected officials in Richland County are going to make sure we don't have the problems we've had before."

The five names will be submitted to the governor for approval.

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