Written by Skylar Laird, SC Daily Gazette.
The interim director for South Carolina’s elections agency is slated to become its permanent director following a unanimous vote from the commission.
Jenny Wooten, previously the agency’s chief of staff, took over as interim director in September, after the five-member commission voted 3-2 to fire then-director Howard Knapp.
Knapp was arrested in October on charges of embezzlement and misconduct in office. Investigators claimed he used state vehicles for personal travel and a public credit card to pay for fuel on those trips over eight months, according to court documents.
Knapp’s former deputy director, Paige Salonich, was arrested the same day on a single charge of wiretapping. Both Knapp and Salonich were released from jail on personal recognizance bonds. That means they pay nothing up front as long as they continue to show up for court hearings.
Commission members have publicly praised Wooten for her transparency with the oversight board, especially when it comes to the agency’s budget. Wooten first started working for the State Election Commission in 2022, overseeing policy and outreach, according to a commission news release.
She will need approval from the Senate to officially become the agency’s director.
“Ensuring the impartiality, accessibility, and integrity of South Carolina’s elections is essential to maintaining public faith in our democracy,” Wooten said in a statement. “I’m grateful to the commission for the trust they have placed in me as our agency strives to uphold that mission.”
Wooten most recently worked in communications for Columbia nonprofit Serve & Connect, which works to form relationships between police and civilians. Before that, she oversaw programs for college savings, tuition repayment and financial literacy for the Treasurer’s Office. She has also worked for the attorney general’s office and as an office assistant for Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, according to her LinkedIn.
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