Reply to Maryland Ballot Measure

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm not in Maryland so I haven't been following the issue, but I'd need clarity on what "as determined by the central committee of the relevant political party" means. Ultimately I'd want appointments made by someone accountable to the voters. There's something to be said for preserving party affiliation, but I'd be very concerned if the elected person who left the office were a moderate of the party but the unelected powers that be within the party determined that only party extremists (in either direction) were appropriate for consideration. Obviously the same argument can be made about a governor in their second term who thus won't be running for re-election, though.[/quote]
This is a good point. I don't like this measure at all and find it undemocratic. The best democratic response is that there should be an election held as quickly as possible to fill the vacant seat and that anyone vacating their Senate seat during their term should take the impact of their action, as a public servant, into account.

I am registered unaffiliated, but generally vote Democratic or even Green in some cases. So I am a lefty. I'll be voting against this. It reeks of how leadership gets chosen in undemocratic places like China.[/quote]

As it stands now, one man (the Governor) appoints a successor to the position. There is no special election to choose a successor. At all. A governor can appoint whoever he wants -- far-left, far-right, his roommate from college, etc. A governor in his second term isn't accountable to anyone. SO it's not like the status quo is some lodestar of democracy.

This amendment allows the party committee that the official was a member of to choose someone -- and the party can hold a caucus or firehouse primary on day 28/29. If the official dies before the middle of their term, a special election is held. This is a democratic check that is not currently in place.

Yes -- ideally you'd have "party picks a successor, special election is held the next regular Election Day or within 90 days, whichever is later (so if someone dies on October 28, they can get a special election going)." But this amendment is an improvement over the current situation, where the Governor can appoint whoever he wants, with no special election.

I see no reason to vote against this amendment. [/quote]

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