by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

(Note: Commentaries by Fred Swift are posted on LarryInFishers.com through a partnership with the Hamilton County Reporter.  He expresses his own views in these commentaries which may or may not reflect the views of LarryInFishers.com)

It is beginning to look like a crowded field of candidates later this summer when precinct
committeemen choose a new state senator to fill out retiring State Senator Luke Kenley’s term.  But, if tradition is maintained, the public and the press won’t be witness to it. Kenley announced earlier this month he will resign Sept. 30 from the Senate where he has been an influential member for 25 years. Up to a half-dozen local Republicans have either announced they want the District 20 seat or are considering running for it.

The new state senator will be selected by a caucus of the precinct committeemen
and women of the district. And, due to the lack of state law guaranteeing a public and
open caucus, the selection process will likely be closed to the public.
It is even possible that a person could file for the vacant seat, win in the caucus
and be be sworn into office before the public knows who that person is. There is no
public call for interested persons to file, no requirement that names of candidates be
public, and no requirement that the caucus vote be public.

State law allows political parties to hold private meetings to discuss political
strategy, elect officers, and apparently by omission, hold closed sessions to fill vacancies
in public office. It is a glaring example of the lack of transparency that most
politicians claim to oppose.

In the current case, five candidates have come forward to announce their intentions.
Megan Wiles, Victoria Spartz, Sue Finkam, Brad Beaver and Joe Morris
have made their plans known. Others may do so, but are not required to tell anyone
except the party leadership which will notify committee members and hold the caucus
at a yet to be determined date. In the past, Hamilton County Republican Chair
Laura Campbell must be credited with revealing the date and location of a caucus,
names of those running, and the winner, none of which she would be required to
make public.

Mrs. Campbell has said, however, that doors will be closed because she believes
such action could prevent undue influence being exerted on committeemen.

This writer believes an office as important as state senator, and any public
office for that matter, should not be filled in secret. The law that seems to allow it
should be amended to open the doors when choosing a public official who will be representing all the people of his or her jurisdiction.  It is the right thing to do.