State Senator calls election board incompetent after intense meeting in Richland

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC (WOLO)-An explosive back and forth during the Richland County Elections Board meeting Wednesday night.

“Nobody trust the Richland County elective process,State Senator Dick Harpootlian said. “I don’t trust it. I came over here to find out who is apart of the solution and who is apart of the problem.”

The meeting initially called to discuss how thousands of votes went unaccounted for during the November election, turned into a shouting match between a precinct clerk and a board member.

That same board member, Shirley Mack, lashed out at the chairwoman for not being notified about the directors resignation.

“How did we accept his resignation, would you explain please,” Mack said questioning the chairwoman.

“I don’t know why there would be a vote on a resignation,” Jane Emerson said.

Things quickly changed when state senator Dick Harpootlian took the podium.

“I’m here to say you’re going to be gone next Tuesday,” Harpootlian said to Mack.

He singled out Mack suggesting she had nearly two years to complete training programs and that she’s not certified for this kind of position.

She blamed medical reasons.

“All that has been arranged so I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Mack said. “He didn’t read everything he saw. He didn’t go and do his homework.”

Harpootlian says he still holds the board accountable for the unaccounted votes.

“I don’t know whether its incompetence or misunderstanding but people in this county deserve an accurate, efficient voting mechanism and we don’t have it,” Harpootlian said.

Harpootlian says they will be appointing a new board member on Feburary 28th.