Elections Director Lillian McBride says she has not resigned

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– Despite reports, Elections Director Lillian McBride has issued a statement saying she has not submitted a resignation. McBride sent the statement to ABC Columbia News. It says: “This is to inform you that I have not submitted my resignation to the Board of Elections and Voter Registration or to the members of the Richland County Legislative Delegation. Any discussion of this is entirely premature and erroneous.” McBride’s statement directly refutes what Representative Todd Rutherford told ABC Columbia News just outside the doors where the legislative delegation was in Executive Session. Rutherford claimed McBride would not longer serve as Executive Director. “She’s resigned, she’s resigned effective January 8th,” says Rutherford, D- District 74. We asked Rutherford about the statement and he told us he could only report what he heard and he quote, “absolutely,” stands by his statement that McBride resigned. “I didn’t think that she was going to resign, but I think this is a good thing. People in Richland County demand an answer and this is that answer,” says Rutherford. Rutherford, though, seems to be the only member of the delegation confirming the news. “Todd is wrong, and if you report it you are wrong, so take your chances… you hear?,” says Senator Darrell Jackson, D- District 21. “The process is an important process that a counselor has with his client so, we’re going to let that go forward as it should,” says Representative James Smith, D- District 72 Today’s news comes on the heels of an Election Day debacle that’s lasted over a month, it started after voters stood in line up to 5 hours just to vote. “The fact that somebody is paying for the Election mess is what everyone was asking for,” says Rutherford. According to Representative Rutherford, McBride is likely to still hold a position in Richland County. He says she could possibly go back to heading up Voter Registration. Again, Mcbride says she has not submitted a resignation and any discussion is premature. ABC Columbia News will stay with this story bringing you updates as they become available.