The board replaced Bowers and Pinckney with the Rev. Donald Sheftall as chairman and Henry "Jake" Rawls III as vice chairman. Sheftall and Rawls are the only board members who survived a July shake-up after Sen. Clementa Pinckney decided to overhaul the board that manages the county's election process.
Sheftall and Rawls will be the only board members qualified for the leadership roles under state guidelines once the old guard is replaced.
"They are the only one's eligible and they need to get their feet wet before these new greenhorns move in," board member Pinckney said.
In a dramatic scene after the new leaders were elected, Bowers forfeited his seat, turned to Sheftall and said, "Mr. Chairman, here are the keys to the building."
In similar fashion, Pinckney reached over the dais, removed her nameplate and said, "I'm leaving." She then sat down with a smile to the far right of the new vice chairman.
Pinckney and Thayer Rivers, both Ridgeland Democrats, have appointed Lillian King, Charles Baker, Carl Tyler, Johnathan Simmons, James R. Rhodes Jr., Jimmy Daley and Eugene Hicks to replace the election board's outgoing members. Those appointments are awaiting approval from Gov. Mark Sanford.
Some board members who are being replaced believe Pinckney dismissed them because of the board's decision to fire Cathy Morgan, who had been the director of the county's Elections and Voter Registration Office since 1998.
"I feel the Senator and Representative don't realize the commotion they're stirring bringing in a new board, director and part-time (staff member) during an election year," Barbara Pinckney said after the meeting.
The new director of the election office, Jeanine Buckner, brought a list of requests to the council during Thursday's meeting, including approval to keep a staffer on full-time during the November election and to reimburse her for mileage.
But Buckner said her biggest concern is training. Sheftall agreed, saying the board "will provide the necessary training to see that (you) excel in your new position."
The board unanimously approved all of Buckner's requests.
The outgoing board members said that although they are leaving, they won't be far.
"In case the new members would like to see how things are done, if we can help, not that you need it, give us a call," Bowers said. "I may be fishing, but give us a call."
"And I may be sleeping," Pinckney added.