South Carolina State Election Commission’s Executive Director Receives Confirmation

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 3, 2023) — South Carolina State Election Commission (“SEC”) Executive Director, Howard Knapp, has been confirmed by the South Carolina Senate. On March 2, Knapp was confirmed in his role, which secures his position as the state’s chief election official where he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency.

Knapp is the first SEC executive director to be confirmed under Act 150. The term of the executive director is for four years, and he may be reappointed, upon the advice and consent of the Senate, for succeeding terms.

“I’m grateful to be confirmed in my role as executive director and am looking forward to continuing my role helping ensure secure and fair elections for the voters of our state,” said Howard Knapp. “Thank you to the members of the State Election Commission for their continued support and thank you to the South Carolina Senate for putting its confidence in me to uphold election integrity.”

Since being named Executive Director by the Commission in January 2022, Knapp has successfully implemented election reform legislation passed by the General Assembly that established no-excuse early voting, amended the absentee ballot processes, modified election crime penalties, and made other significant positive changes to voting in South Carolina. Under his leadership, the SEC also set up a new audit division with funding allocated by the General Assembly and has taken steps to create consolidated, statewide standardized procedures for voter registration and elections. Under Knapp’s leadership, the SEC has also produced two new publications to bring even more transparency and understanding of South Carolina’s elections: its Annual Report and an election integrity handbook that explains how the agency keeps the state’s elections accurate, secure, accessible, and credible. Both documents are available for public viewing on the agency’s website, scVOTES.gov.

Prior to becoming Executive Director, Knapp served as the Interim Executive Director and Director of Voter Services. In his role as Director of Voter Services, Knapp was responsible for information technology, cyber security, support of the statewide voting system, the agency’s Area Representatives, and the agency’s election audit initiatives and processes. Prior to joining the SEC, Knapp spent over a decade in state government service in the legislative and executive branches of government.

Knapp holds a J.D. from Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, FL, and earned his B.A. from The Citadel in Charleston, SC.          

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