South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has communicated with State Election Commission Director Howard Knapp to emphasize the importance of adhering to state laws regarding election integrity. The correspondence focused on the issue of ballot harvesting, which is illegal under South Carolina law.
According to state legislation, it is unlawful for an individual to return more than five return-addressed envelopes in an election, aside from their own. Engaging in illegal ballot harvesting constitutes a felony offense and can result in a prison sentence of up to five years.
In his letter, Attorney General Wilson stated, "In short, South Carolina law considers illegal ballot harvesting to be a serious offense, which undermines our system of free and fair elections." He acknowledged the efforts being made by Knapp and other election officials across the state to ensure secure elections on November 5. Wilson requested that Knapp forward his letter to all 46 election offices statewide.
Director Knapp promptly replied, confirming that he would distribute the letter to all county directors by the end of the day.