Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Too many elections

It's Election Day in Denver! I just voted for mayor and two city council offices.* But what's really important is that I had a chance to vote for the city clerk and recorder's office. Whoever wins that race better, um, record... stuff... just the way I like, or there'll be hell to pay. Oh, and I also voted in the city auditor's race. Now, obviously, as a voter, I have strong opinions about auditing, so if the next incumbent doesn't audit in a fashion consistent with my auditing vision, I'll go out and find someone else who will.

Um, yes, I was being snarky. The point is, I don't see why these positions can't be appointed by the mayor and/or confirmed by the city council. I relied heavily on endorsements when casting votes because I really have no idea what makes someone a good municipal clerk/recorder or auditor. Frankly, I doubt the endorsers know much about that, either, but I'm counting on them to at least not endorse lunatics.

*I don't want to offer too many predictions about the mayoral election, except to say that it will go to a runoff featuring Romer and either Hancock or Mejia, and that Linkhart will under-perform his most recent polls. If you've followed this election at all, you know these aren't particularly brave forecasts.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I always figured such positions were elected as a vestigal reform from the days when politics was a bit more cutthroat and you wouldn't necessarily want an elections monitor/moneywatcher directly beholden to the mayor and his machine/gang. Still, that's just a guess.