RICHLAND COUNTY, SC — Richland County Elections & Voter Registration executive director Lillian McBride is stepping down from her post, effective Jan. 12.

However, she will be staying on at the elections office, at her current salary of $89,124, until a new job can be found for her there at a possible new salary. Election commission members said Thursday they would like to take advantage of McBride’s 20-plus years of experience in voter registration.

She tendered her letter of resignation Thursday to the county Board of Elections & Voter Registration, which accepted the resignation by a unanimous vote.

In the letter, McBride accepted responsibility for the Nov. 6 election debacle, which included waits of up to seven hours for some voters, lost ballots and a shortage of voting machines.

Jasper Salmond, a longtime educator and former member of the Richland 1 school board, will serve as a part-time temporary executive director but is not interested in the job permanently. He will serve while the board searches for a new executive director.

Noelle Phillips and John Monk

Read more in Friday’s edition of The State.