SC Election Commission fires deputy director amid SLED probe, confirms ‘unauthorized device’

The S.C. State Election Commission fired its second top official on Tuesday and confirmed that the State Law Enforcement Division found a hidden recording device in the agency’s meeting room.

Agency Deputy Director Paige Salonich was terminated as of Tuesday for a variety of offenses including placing an “unauhorized device in the Election Commission training room, a clear violation of state and agency policy,” said a letter sent Tuesday to Salonich. She was making a salary of $141,788 a year.

Salonich’s placing of the device, which sources told The State was a voice-activated digital recorder, was “recorded on agency security cameras,” the letter to her stated.

Through her lawyer, Jim Griffin of Columbia, Salonich declined comment.

“She doesn’t wish to comment — at this time,” Griffin said.

Placing the device in the training room, which was also where the Commission holds board meetings, “constitutes the unauthorized use and misuse of state property and raises serious concerns regarding trust, confidentiality and workplace integrity,” the letter said.

Salonich’s firing comes amid a SLED investigation that began last week. The Commission’s board of directors asked SLED to investigate the former agency director Howard Knapp and Salonich. Knapp was fired last week. SLED has confirmed the investigation.

The commission has not said why it fired Knapp, except for a statement about wanting “new leadership.” Knapp could not be reached for comment.

Salonich committed other offenses that led to her firing, the letter said. Those offenses included raising her voice and using “inappropriate language” that “left other employees visibly shaken, created an unprofessional environment, and undermined the Commission’s ability to conduct business in an orderly and respectful manner,” the letter said.

The accusations made in the letter were investigated by the agency’s Human Resources department and determined to be founded, the letter said.

On Monday, Salonich sent the Commission a letter of resignation. But the Commission rejected that letter and notified her of her termination, according to documents sent to The State, which had made a Freedom of Information request for records concerning her departure.

“We have received your communication regarding your intent to resign from your position as Deputy Director with the South Carolina State Election Commission. Please be advised that the agency will not be accepting your resignation;” wrote Commission administrative manager Sharese Johnson to Salonich late Monday afternoon in an email.

SLED is currently investigating allegations of misconduct involving Knapp, the agency confirmed last week.

The state Attorney General’s office requested that investigation in March 2024, and it is ongoing, according to SLED.

Knapp became the state’s chief election official in 2022 and he was confirmed by the state Senate for the role in 2023. He had other roles in the agency before becoming executive director. The typical term for an executive director is four years, and they can be reappointed.

The Election Commission is also involved in a controversial request by the U.S. Justice Department for the commission to turn over information on the state’s 3.3 million voters, including personally identification information such as drivers’ license numbers.

A South Carolina resident, Anne Crook, filed suit against the Election Commission seeking to bar the release of information to the Justice Department. Hearings on that lawsuit are scheduled for Wednesday and Friday at the Richland County courthouse before state circuit Judge Daniel Coble.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 5:45 PM.