Lillian McBride Named Director of Voter Registration

Richland Co., S.C. (WOLO)–The woman fired after the Richland County election debacle of 2012 regains her old leadership position with the election commission. Officials tell ABC Columbia news, Lillian McBride has been re-named director of the Richland County Board of Voter Registration. By law, Richland County elections and Richland County voter registration, which were previously one department, are now two separate entities. Interim director for the elections side, which entails handling precincts, voting machines and ballot-counting, Samuel Selph says, “Voter registration is on the other side. This is elections. Each has its own director.” That is raising eyebrows. The head of the Board of Voter Registration, which primarily entails the handling of registering voters and absentee voting,is Lillian McBride. McBride held that position for over a decade prior to becoming elections director. Election day 2012, under McBride’s leadership as director, was labeled an epic failure due to long lines and uncounted ballots. McBride even accepted responsibility for the debacle in a resignation letter. When asked how her assuming her previous role with voter registration bodes, Selph said, “We have an election coming up in about two months. I’m preparing my side to be ready. I’m not gonna get into what goes on on the other side.” The South Carolina GOP is getting into it, sending out a scathing response from Chairman Matt Moore. “Sadly, today isn’t April Fools’ Day. it‘s more like Groundhog Day. The more things change in Richland County, the more they stay the same. Today‘s news is a slap in the face to voters who stood in line up to 7 hours on election day 2012. ms. mcbride had a direct hand in that debacle, yet she remains unaccountable.” We reached out to mcbride ourselves but were told she was not available due to the death of a family member. Meanwhile, democratic state Senator John Scott, Vice-Chair of the Richland County legislative delegation, the board that keeps a close watch over the elections office said, “When the law changed, Lillian McBride went back to the job she’s done for years. People are getting caught up in job titles and don’t understand election law. guess what i say? get over it!