Today, the Justice Department suspended the Macon-Bibb Consolidated Government local elections that were slated for July 16th, 2013. I’ve already interviewed Sam Hart, one of the candidates, but it seems the relevance of that interview is stayed until the DOJ can determine if nonpartisan elections can proceed.
Partisan elections are the backbone of the American political system, it seems. But they also are the reason that guys with substantially less experienced get elected.
The DOJ stepping in to Macon-Bibb elections is their right pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which permits the Attorney General to oversee the electoral practices of states with a history of discriminatory practices (a practice that may come to an end this June). Several democrats petitioned the modification to the local election process directly to the DOJ when they found out they wouldn’t be guaranteed a win under the new consolidated government.
I think all local offices should be non-partisan elections. As far as I’m concerned, there is absolutely no justification for partisan elections when local issues differ so substantially from the national agenda. Local political parties are money crutches. Plain and simple. How you vote nationally on civil rights, social issues, the military, or the economy has very little bearing on whether or not you feel Howard High School should buy more books and less flatscreens.
First episode of Talking Law with David Dorer is tomorrow. Tune in.