Elections

Guest Post: The Election Process – Part I

(I will be posting a series written by a guest about the election process. This is Part I)

Let’s be honest, how many of us really understand what is going on in our city hall?  We think we know some parts but we question why other stupid things keep happening. This confusion is not accidental it actually is conspiratorial. Sit back and let me explain.

A long time ago (1964) a man and movement was defeated in their quest for the presidency of the United States.  You may ask, “what does this have to do with the Sioux Falls City Hall mess?”

More to come . . .

 

Think we have problems in SF with municipal elections?

Anchorage just had a doozy . . .

Embattled Anchorage Election Clerk Seen Partying With ‘Winning’ Mayor from Her Disastrous Election

Oh, neato. Remember that recent disastrous Anchorage, Alaska election I told you about, during which voters were turned away all across the city because not enough ballots were distributed, and where the Deputy Municipal Clerk Jacqueline Duke, responsible for ballot and voting machine distribution, admitted to me that she had told poll workers not to worry if they found voting machine security seals broken on the morning of the election?

Aside from Prop 5, a ballot measure which would have extended anti-discrimination protection to the LGBT community — which a pre-election poll predicted would win by 9 points (before the Diebold computer tabulators reported that it lost by 16 points) — Anchorage’s Mayor Dan Sullivan was also on the ballot that day.

Unlike Prop 5, however, the anti-Prop 5 mayor reportedly won, according to the Diebold op-scan tabulators, by almost the same exact margin that the same pre-election poll had predicted he would.

And, whaddaya know? There’s Mayor Sullivan himself, in the photo above, seen celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day with none other than his old employee [PDF] turned Anchorage Deputy Municipal Clerk Jacqueline Duke! (She’s the one on the right.)

Neat, eh? I wonder why, according to a source of Alaska radio host, blogger and election integrity advocateShannyn Moore, Duke scrubbed that photo from her Facebook page recently. I tried to find out and get confirmation, but Duke didn’t respond to the email I sent to the address she gave me when we spoke. As a matter of fact, according to The Mudflats’ Linda Kellen Biegel, who tried to ask Duke a question at a recent Election Commission meeting called to investigate the continuing mess, the Deputy Municipal Clerk is no longer allowed to speak to anyone in the media.

Wonder why. Was it something she said?

Our recent election is not just a kinda, sorta, it happened accidentally thingy, as we are led to believe by city clerk’s office. This is an actual organized operation throughout the United States to take control of local election operations and then to limit who can and will vote. Debra Owen was not fired for any incompetence, but most likely for her competence. Salesmen like Huether, Karsky, Erpenbach or Diamond Jim do not want anyone around who would question their actions. By ridding themselves of competent advisors, they will always have deniability. The new Clerk will be thrown under the bus at first chance as a scapegoat.

Look at all the city management / department heads and try to find the level of competence / incompetence. No successfully run business would keep most of them in their positions. A successful business person trying to make a business successful wants innovation and daily competence. A ‘wannabe’ successful manager of a business wants individuals working with them who will give them “High Fives” or “yes” answers for schemes they can get by with.

When I propose work for a potential client, I interview them as much as they interview me. I want to see in their face before I sign on or if they are a schemer-follower manager or an innovation-leader manager. Guess which we have as a mayor / council majority?

(The Big ‘B’ contributed to this post)

Someone else’s fault

I received new information today that the school district employee that was thrown under the bus at Monday’s SF city council informational meeting was probably not surprised by the accusations. The city has a reputation of blaming others when things go awry in city elections.

Here is some crucial information to keep in mind;

1) It was not the school official’s MAIN job or priority to deliver ballots to precincts (only to assist). Which makes sense. The city and school district hires people to help with elections. Directors and managers (and city councilors) should NOT be doing that stuff, they should be directing and managing.

2) They did not have that many ballots in their vehicle (as the city has been claiming) only backups.

I also find it ironic the city refuses to mention the school district employee’s name. If you are going to make accusations at least tell us who it is, otherwise, what’s the point? Maybe the clerk’s office doesn’t want us questioning that official and getting their side of the story. Well some people have been contacting her, and she does have a different version.

Who knows who is telling the truth? Like most government officials, it is ‘SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT.’

UPDATED: Aguilar admits to delivering UNMARKED ballots

The hanging chad

UPDATE 2: If you watch today’s informational meeting (at beginning) you will see the city clerk give her ‘reasons’ as to what happened election day.

Just like clockwork, one of the local TV stations responded to blog posts by Jen Holsen and I. Aguilar reassures us she was only delivering unmarked ballots;

City Council Chair Sue Aguilar has drawn fire this week for delivering ballots to some voting centers.

Aguilar said she was dispatched to deliver blank ballots to both Whittier Middle School and Lincoln High School. She also went to Harvey Dunn to deliver tape for the machines.

“I didn’t have any contact with any of the marked ballots, the ballot boxes, or did I talk to any of the voters or any of that,” said Aguilar.

I will start by saying, with only a 14% turnout in a municipal election, it is unacceptable that any polling place ran out of ballots. The Litz-Hogstad-Chase-Gant team have proven to make this past election look like a botched elementary school science project. What if this would have been a presidential election? Florida all over again. I’ll give Gant and Litz a pass on this one (I don’t think either one of them know what is going on) but Hogstad who touted her years of experience in the clerk’s office as an assistant clerk should have handled the situation better. All I can say is that we should have never gotten rid of Debra Owen to begin with, and now there is one more mark on the chalk board of how dumb of a decision it was to terminate her.

While I thank Sue for wanting to help, she should not have. Hogstad could have summoned many other people to deliver unmarked ballots. Secondly, the assumption of impropriety is there.  I will admit, I never suspected anything illegal was done by Aguilar, but when your fellow councilors are up for re-election, you should probably stay as far away from polling places as possible except to vote.

Duh.

Interestingly, on election day, Kermit escorted his wife to the auditors office to pickup an absentee ballot for someone. When they saw Kermit they barked at him and told he wasn’t to be within 100 feet of the office. But the council chair? Apparently she has free reign.

UPDATED; Cory at Madville has an excellent post about this.

Sue Roust to be considered for interim city clerk but the SF YPN doesn’t really need her, they are taking this election on the road

Looks like the former county auditor may be pulled out of retirement (Image: KELO-TV)

Item # 26

A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF SUE ROUST AS INTERIM CITY CLERK EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE AND PUBLICATION.

WHEREAS, Section 2.08 of the Charter of the City of Sioux Falls authorizes the City Council to appoint an officer of the City who shall have the title of Interim City Clerk;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD: That it approves the following City Council appointment:

Sue Roust, Interim City Clerk

Pursuant to SDCL 9-19-13, this Resolution is made in support of the municipal government and its existing public institutions, and shall become effective upon passage and publication.

This is sort of a relief. Sue is an excellent candidate to fill in as city clerk.

The first thing I would like Sue to check out (if she gets appointed) is these recommendations by the YPN (Young Professionals Network/a division of the SF Chamber) Steering committee;

While I think it should be easier to vote, I don’t think this should become a road show. Having 41 extra days to vote at the county courthouse before the election, is plenty of time. Besides, they are young professionals, with their carefree lifestyles, don’t they have time to cruise over in their Range Rovers to the courthouse and vote? Heck, most of them even work downtown. Here is a copy of the entire email: ypnsc

Dr. Kermit Staggers wrote a wonderful piece about Owen yesterday;

While power politics prevailed in this case, ultimately the integrity and courage of Owen won out. When given the final option of resigning or being fired, she refused to resign. After all, she had done nothing wrong. We need more people of integrity and class in city government such as Debra Owen, not fewer.

I would have to agree.