YOUR SAY: Partisanship a feature of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections
I was actually glad to read Quinton Tard's letter in The Telegraph insisting I resign as chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections because I was too partisan. His ignorance concerning the structure and safeguards built into the voting process of Macon-Bibb County gives me the perfect opportunity to quash any fears that partisanship of Board of Elections members might somehow be able to taint or corrupt voter rights in our community.
Tard identified himself as the "Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections." There is no such committee. Tard chaired a temporary citizens committee formed by the board solely to allow the public to have input into the precinct consolidation plan that was being considered recently. After the committee gave its advice to the board on the precinct plan, its connection to the board was terminated.
Now, as to the safeguards and make-up of the board of elections:
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections is made up of five members. Two of the members are selected by the Republican Party and two members are selected by the Democratic Party. The fifth member is non-partisan and is selected by the other four members. If the vote for the fifth member is deadlocked, the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners makes the selection
The chairperson of the board of elections rotates between the partisan and independent members of the board. Unlike the chairpersons of committees in Congress, the chairperson of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections has only one vote and cannot dictate meeting agendas or board votes. Mostly, the chairperson simply chairs the meetings. Any member can bring up any issue or call for any vote at any meeting.
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections may not enact any policy that violates local, state, or federal law. The same board attorney that advises the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners keeps our board informed if any policy we are considering violates local, state or federal statute.
Like all other departments in Macon-Bibb County, the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections must submit a yearly budget for approval by the board of commissioners. If we make a request that is lawful and yet might be construed as partisan or fiscally unwise, the board of commissioners has the obligation and the power to refuse to fund that request.
It could certainly be argued that the built-in, equal partisanship in the make-up of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections is in itself a safeguard against unfairness and/or disenfranchisement of any voter in Macon-Bibb County.
Rinda Wilson is chairperson of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections.
This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 10:06 PM with the headline "YOUR SAY: Partisanship a feature of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections ."