On Election Day Amanda posted on Facebook, “This is my opinion and it is bipartisan (probably going to tick of both parties) I am not sure where it was written or promised that voting would be a drive thru experience. When we think about the privilege and honor to vote and what many people before us sacrificed (way more than a couple of hours in line) I think we should shut up and vote or stay home. And that is all!!” Sure nuff, I “Liked” it. After all, it took my wife, Jennifer, and I a dink 30 minutes to vote at Hand Middle School. No harm, no foul. That said, we didn’t know what was really going on out there.
Fast forward to the real problem we later learned about and are still dealing with; Richland County election brass has a problem and they’re making it worse by the day, and the citizens are salivating about why the powers that be refuse to nip this train wreck in the bud.
As an avid voter who admittedly doesn’t know exactly everything, here’s how it now looks from a passive, unbiased birds eye view. Two points – 1: Someone has dirt on somebody. Photos, emails, video…something. 2: Someone is using a bully pulpit to protect one or some of the players involved.
This blurb is now going around Facebook regarding the newly formed position at Richland County: “Encourage anyone and everyone to send an application ASAP (by Monday) for the not-posted position of deputy director in the reorganized Richland County Elections and Voter Registration Office. Send resume to Jasper Salmond, Interim Director, by hand to 2020 Hampton Street, by mail to PO Box 192, Columbia, 29202, fax to 803.576.2119, or use the on-line application at richlandonline.com.” Who knows if this idea is even a possibility, but it’s out there, and could end up being a good one.
Either way, our cash strapped county magically created a new $74,000ish job and in doing so, infuriated the electorate and vaulted the theory that something suspicious is going on.
Over the years we’ve observed that cover-ups can be worse than the screw-ups, and right now this debacle seems to be in full cover-up/conspiracy mode.
Well see how it all shakes out, and hopefully the taxpayers of Richland County will be at peace when all is said and done.
I never thought Jasper Salmond would “go along” with something so indefensible as the way the Election Commission ordered him to give her
another job. I would like for Richland County Council to seek from the Legislative Delegation some change in the SC Law that will put council in-charge; since they have to fund this fiasco they should at least have appointment power over the election commission. Isn’t it at least as important as the Township Auditorium Board or the Zoning Board of Adjustment?