Delzer's Municipal Organization Chart: Chamber of Commerce, Then Elected Officials

As a city commission candidate, Scott Delzer famously declared that he wanted to be "your representative on the Madison Chamber of Commerce." At Monday's Madison City Commission meeting, Commissioner Delzer showed what he meant. In the continuing discussion of changing our hooch rules in our city parks and the city-owned depot and armory (as if there aren't enough other places in Madison to get schnockered), Delzer suggested ceding municipal authority to the Chamber of Commerce:

Commissioner Scott Delzer suggested that the decisions about serving alcohol at the old railroad depot should reside with the local Chamber of Commerce, since the Chamber's offices are in the building. The Chamber has hosted events in the depot and could perform some caretaker duties.

City Attorney David Jencks expressed concerns about the city relinquishing its oversight duties at the railroad depot by giving too much authority to the Chamber [Chuck Clement, "City Agrees to Changes in Consumption Policy," Madison Daily Leader, 2009.06.09].

Thank you, attorney Jencks, for gently reminding the commission of the proper role of local government.

The commission did authorize Jencks to spend the week writing up a new ordinance laying out a permit process to allow limited alcohol consumption on city property. The new ordinance might actually tighten our alcohol regs by following Mayor Hexom's recommendation that the new ordinance ban alcohol from Westside Park during swim season and limit alcohol to the picnic shelters. I say make those rules as tight as possible. Every public space in Madison should be as family-friendly as possible. You can have a perfectly enjoyable picnic or dance or even a Chamber mixer without alcohol.

Madison Recount Includes Sample Ballot

And now from the Madville Times Rumor Mill:

Remember last weekend's recount of the Madison City Commission ballots which resulted in Scott Delzer's victory by card game? One of our curious neighbors reports that the recount committee included a sample ballot in the count. You know, one of those yellow ballots with "SAMPLE" stamped across it? Unlike the white ballots that say "OFFICIAL." The sample ballot, which gave Delzer the one vote he needed to tie Monica Campbell, was apparently submitted by someone who voted at City Hall instead of the regular polls at the armory.

Our morning review of South Dakota election law:

1. SDCL 12-16-17 says "If the supply of official ballots has been completely exhausted, the county auditor may make emergency substitution by delivering or authorizing the use of sample ballots or photocopies of the official ballot." I can't find the comparable statute for city elections, but I would assume that the city finance officer would have the authority in a city election to make that emergency substitution if official ballots ran out.
   
2. But could they run out? SDCL 9-13-21 requires the city have on hand "at least ten percent more than the number of voters at the last comparable election." Last city commission election was 2006, turnout 1898. Minimum number of official ballots the city needed to have on hand: 2088. This year's turnout: 1033.
3. SDCL 9-13.27.3 appears to give recount boards carte blanche to decide questions about ballots. They can accept or reject ballots as they see fit by majority vote. One reader pointed out that the recount board is like a jury: their word is final.
   

Even if the recount board could accept a notecard dropped in the ballot box, I'm still curious: how did that sample ballot pass muster?

Meanwhile, Delzer and Dick Ericsson take their oaths at the city commission meeting Monday night, and city government toodles along.

Dumb Luck Picks Delzer for Madison City Commission

KJAM gets the scoop: Scott Delzer won the cut of the cards this morning. As reported earlier, this weekend's recount resulted in one more ballot for Delzer, tying him with previously presumed second-place finisher Monica Campbell. City Finance Officer Jeff Heinemeyer thus carried out state law by breaking out the cards this morning at City Hall and having the candidates cut. The final election result:

1. Scott Delzer: King of Hearts.
2. Monica Campbell: Jack of Clubs.

Election by dumb luck -- it just doesn't feel good. The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see the law changed to allow a run-off caucus in case of a tie. If there are just two candidates on the ballot, maybe we can genuinely conclude that voters are fine with either choice and running a revote would cost more than it's worth. But a pick-two, four-candidate ballot creates a different calculus. A run-off between just 2nd and 3rd would have been a very different choice from the original ballot. I offer no prediction or preference for how such a vote would have gone, but it would have been a better read of the public will than a random draw.

Besides it's a shame to tell a thousand voters, "Thanks for voting, but it didn't really matter." Let's dump the random tie-breaker rule and give folks just that much more voice in local government.

Madison Recount: Campbell and Delzer Tie

Get out your lucky rabbit's feet, Monica and Scott: The Madison City Commission election recount has resulted in a tie. You may recall that Monica Campbell beat Scott Delzer by one vote for second place in the city commission election April 8. Delzer called for a recount Monday; the recount committee met yesterday to go back through the ballots. Evidently, the ballot-counting machines were off by one, and in this case, one is all it takes.

So Madison City Government will now be cast to the winds of fate. No revote, no arm-wreslting match: per SDCL 9-13-27.2, Campbell and Delzer will get together at a time and place of City Finance Officer Jeff Heinemeyer's choosing to draw lots. Draw the right straw, win the coin toss, whatever Heinemeyer chooses, and the law says you're the commissioner.

I've seen this method used at debate tournaments, when there's an unbreakable tie between speakers on ranks and ratings, and it always makes me cringe. Simply flipping a coin gets us home sooner from debate contests, but I'd rather see a final round.

Same with elections: Drawing lots is the cheapest way to resolve a tie, but I'd prefer a run-off. Heck, even if printing ballots and revving up the ballot machines is too expensive, I'd prefer a good caucus. Open the doors of the armory Tuesday night, let everyone come who wants to come, and at 7 p.m., take a show of hands. Whoever can fire up enough supporters to come to the meeting wins. It's not perfect, but it beats government by random chance.

If I were Scott or Monica, I'd also much rather face a run-off election where I could do something to affect the outcome -- go knock on more doors, run another ad, blog like crazy -- rather than sitting and waiting for Jeff to find a fair coin to flip. But the law is the law. Cross your fingers, everyone, and get ready for your next randomly selected city commissioner!