South Carolina's former elections director Howard Knapp has been arrested and charged with embezzlement and misconduct in office.

Howard Knapp, the former State Election Commission executive director, and Paige Salonich, SEC's former deputy executive director, were both arrested Oct. 24.

Knapp has served in legislative and executive branches of South Carolina state government for more than a decade, according to officials.

The former executive director of the South Carolina Election Commission is now behind bars on multiple charges related to ethics violations.

The South Carolina Election Commission is investigating why a $28 million contract for new voting machines ended up costing $4 million more.

Howard Knapp was removed from office on Sept. 17 and now faces 11 charges with eight of those use of office for financial gain.

Two former employees with the SC Election Commission have been arrested and charged with multiple charges, according to SLED.

SOUTH CAROLINA (WBTV) - The in-person early voting period for 2025 municipal elections opened Monday morning across South Carolina, with a handful of counties set to hold local contests this fall. Within those counties, municipalities, which include towns, cities, and villages, have races on the ballot.

Here you will find up-to-the-minute election results for the South Carolina House District 21 primary and the South Carolina Senate District 12 primary.

At an election committee meeting on Oct. 15, Commission Chairman Dennis Shedd said that three state agencies – the Attorney General’s office, the Office of Inspector General and the State Law Enforcement Division — were reviewing Knapp’s conduct during his time in office.

The commission's handling of a $32 million loan for voting machines is under scrutiny, with $4 million reportedly unaccounted for. Additionally, Knapp was accused of creating a hostile work environment and misleading the commission about contracts. A hidden recording device incident further fuels the ongoing drama.