Former senator picked to replace Tex McIver on state election board

Former state Sen. Seth Harp. Photo: Harp Poydasheff Post & Sowers. Credit: Todd Rehm

Former state Sen. Seth Harp. Photo: Harp Poydasheff Post & Sowers. Credit: Todd Rehm

Former state Sen. Seth Harp has been picked to replace Claud "Tex" McIver as a member of the state board that oversees voting and elections in Georgia.

Harp, who left the Senate in 2010 for an unsuccessful run to become state insurance commissioner, is a lawyer and senior partner in the Columbus law firm Harp Poydasheff Post and Sowers. He has served as chairman of the Muskogee County Republican Party.

Senate leaders nominated him for the state election board Friday in Senate Resolution 403, which needs approval from a majority of the chamber. If approved, the appointment would be for a two-year term.

McIver, facing criminal charges after shooting his wife, wrote Senate leaders last month declining to continue with the board after his current term ended March 30. First appointed by the Senate in 2005, McIver had been serving as the election board's vice chairman.

McIver and his attorneys have said the shooting was an accident that does not warrant criminal charges. He has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony, and reckless conduct. He is currently free on $200,000 bond. He has not been indicted.