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Subcommittee advances Jay Conway Balangio nomination to lead South Carolina election agency after questioning on lawsuits and misinformation
Summary
The judiciary subcommittee voted to advance Jay Conway Balangio’s nomination to be executive director of the South Carolina State Election Commission after questioning about his decades-long election-administration career, several past work-related lawsuits and plans to counter misinformation that affects poll workers.
The judiciary subcommittee voted to advance the nomination of Jay Conway Balangio to the full committee after a screening hearing that reviewed his 34 years in election administration and asked about litigation tied to decisions made while he led Greenville County elections.
Balangio, who said he prefers to be called Conway, told the subcommittee he has worked in voter registration and elections for more than three decades and emphasized a commitment to fair, nonpartisan and transparent elections. "I have strived to have elections in Greenville County be conducted in a fair, accurate, nonpartisan and efficient manner," he said in his opening remarks.
The nomination hearing focused on Balangio’s experience and several legal matters listed in his confirmation packet. Screening counsel, Miss Benson, noted there were seven work-related lawsuits in the materials and asked the nominee to describe them. Balangio outlined multiple cases, including litigation over student domicile questions tied to a federal decision, a candidate-disqualification matter that was resolved after a pardon, a residency challenge resolved by the local Board of Voter Registration and Elections, and a pending case involving a prospective poll worker who declined to take a statutory oath on religious grounds. He said Greenville County attorneys including Sarah Spruill represent the board on the pending matter.
Senator Richland pressed Balangio on how he would counter misinformation and rebuild public confidence following controversy around the previous director. Balangio said misinformation has depressed poll-worker morale and that a key priority would be to bolster support for poll workers and improve communication about voting procedures, equipment and safeguards. "When it rises to the level of a true misinformation that needs to be corrected, then ... my staff will correct that," Balangio said, adding that he would not "go on a witch hunt" but would be accessible and transparent.
After questioning and a short executive session in which the subcommittee reported no decisions or votes were taken, members moved to advance Balangio’s nomination to the full committee; the chair announced the motion carried by voice vote and noted a proxy recorded from Senator Kimbrell. The chair said the nomination would be heard by the full committee that afternoon at 2 p.m.
The subcommittee did not record additional formal votes or exact tallies in the hearing record. The committee adjourned after advancing the nomination.
