Our View: County offices shouldn't be partisan

Here’s a good question: how does political affiliation inform how a county assessor or county clerk performs their duties? We’re not sure they do as state statutes govern how they operate.

Yet, throughout Wyoming many of the political races involved in the upcoming elections will be focused on offices that are dictated by state statute, not political ideology and that shouldn’t be the case.

How would a Republican do a better job than a Democrat when it comes to running an office like the Sweetwater County Clerk of District Court’s Office? Or how would a Libertarian be a better county treasurer than a Republican? Put simply, political affiliation alone does not make a great candidate for these positions. Qualifications are key for ensuring these offices operate smoothly. A sheriff with a background in law enforcement would be more preferable over a sheriff with a background in chemical engineering.

For something like county commissioner, voting based on party affiliation makes sense. Commissioners are tasked with making policy and budgetary decisions, both of which are heavily informed by political philosophy. Those voting for a Republican, Democrat, or even the Constitutional Party for those offices know what they’ll get when placing those votes.

One solution would be for those offices to become hired positions like their analogs in municipal government. A city clerk or police chief are hired to their positions based on their experience and qualifications, they’re not elected by voters. We understand that this would lead to a situation where the only partisan elections outside the legislative and state races would be for county commissioner, but we also propose making mayoral and city council elections partisan to make up for that.

After all, these positions deal with policy and budgets in the same way a county commissioner position does, so it makes sense that voters should look at which party candidates are affiliated with to help decide who to vote for.

 

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