Special elections

[question everything]

I think that filling of every seat should be done by special elections. Yes, they are expensive, this way we can see who really cares about our tax money.

Many years ago, while in California, a state senator decided to run for a county supervisor, however she never vacated her seat, so then we had to have special elections to fill her seat, with a member of the assembly. Then another special elections to fill his seat.

What if Blago selected a member of Congress to fill Obama's seat? We know of at least two who were interested. then their seats would have to be filled in special elections, as well as that of Emanuel.

I think that if an elected official is interested in a different office, s/he should vacate the seat in time for the primary/general elections, win or lose. A seat is not a security blanket to hang onto until another one is available.

This was nice in 2004, when Edwards vacated his seat so it was up for filling in the general elections.

Yes, I know. Naive. Only elected officials run for office from their current seats.

But if each had to be filled in expensive special elections, perhaps we could see some changes..

Sigh.

[question everything]

1. self kick (nt)

[IsItJustMe]

2. As long as you are paying for it, sounds fine to me.

On edit: Not only is it costly, but it can also be down right impractical. I don't know how long this Blago thing will draw out, but Obama's seat to be filled only has two years left on it. If this thing drags on too long, you could run into the situation where the person gets elected and has to turn right around and run again.

Special elections? Yes. But as with anything, moderation is always a good thing.

[question everything]

3. Paying for special elections to repalce Emanuel? Or Jackson Jr?

Why the distinction between a senate seat and a congressman's?

[IsItJustMe]

4. A huge difference.

A Senate seat would have to be carried out state wide. That means that you have just increased the cost by an order of magnitude. In state like Illinois, which is already laying off large numbers of state employees because of the huge budget deficits that they are running, 20 or 30 million dollars can put lots of people out of work.

[LynneSin]

5. And Special elections will be scheduled in 2010 for all 3 seats

It just happens to be the same time that Obama would have been up for re-election. But New York & Delaware will have their special elections in 2010. It's a cost thing, so most special elections for senate seats occur when the next statewide election is scheduled with the state. House seats are much easier to schedule since it involves few people.

[question everything]

6. Um... no. Hillary was elected in 2000 and in 2006

so her term expires in 2012.

By then Caroline will be an incumbent and well established. What Democrat would dare challenge the daughter of JFK?

[karynnj]

8. She has to run in both 2010 and 2012

[LynneSin]

11. That is correct

Same thing with Ted Kaufman here in Delaware although we all suspect Ted isn't going to run so Joe Biden's kid Beau can run for the seat.

[LynneSin]

12. Hillary's term expires in 2012. Caroline has to do a special election in 2010

that's the norm when people are appointed to senate seats. They can only maintain that seat until the major election regardless if it's the cycle for that seat, which for whomever takes the NY Senate seat - it would be until 2010. And then in 2012 they would have to run AGAIN since that's when the the seat would normally come up for re-election.

Ted Kaufman would be doing the same thing in Delaware in 2010 and then whomever wins that election (since I doubt Ted is going to run again) would have run again for their regular election in 2014.

Only in Illinois would there be no special election (Unless their state congress deems otherwise because of this scandal). Obama's seat expires in 2010 so the special election would be the main election.

So, if there is ANYTHING that is a major consideration to replace Hillary Clinton it's a candidate that can raise enough money for not one but TWO major elections in 4 years - and New York is NOT a cheap state to run a senate election. As soon as that democrat wins 2010 they have to keep the gears running for 2012. Caroline Kennedy can easily raise that money - hell she could probably pay for both elections out of her own pocketbook.

If you have any doubts about what I've posted then look at the senate races for Mississippi and Wyoming. Both of those states lost senators in the past 2 years (Thomas of Wyoming died and Lott of Mississippi retired) and both states had TWO senate races - one for the senator whose senate normally expires on that cycle (Enzi of Wyoming and Cochran of Mississippi) and one for the senator who was picked to fill an open seat (Wicker of Mississippi and Barrasso of Wyoming)

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Senate/Maps/Dec16-s.html

[karynnj]

7. Edwards did NOT vacate his seat, he opted not to run for re-election

Although he was allowed to, he felt he couldn't run for President and for Senate in NC at the same time. He did not think he had the popularity to not spend time in Nc and still win.

The problem with your suggestion is that not everyone knows they will even be offered anything - and we would lose a lot of good senior Senators each year. This year, HRC, Obama, Dodd, and Biden would have had to vacate their seat in time for a primary election campaign. In addition, do you think any possible VP person who would have taken the offer should have quit and any who might want a cabinet appointment - at a point when the President-elect was not known?

[question everything]

9. As I said, I am naive but I wish that a politician made a choice

and yes, I remember there were some comments here wondering who was running the Senate with so many senior senators running for president.

Whatever Edwards' motives were, at least he made his choice. Had the Kerry/Edwards ticket won, a new senator to replace him would have been elected, not appointed.

[karynnj]

10. That would have been better than what happened in NC

Assume that K/E won. The Governor of NC was (and is) a Democrat. We would have a Democrat instead of Senator Burr.

Assume they lost, but Edwards won - he would have been the Senator.

(If both were 50/50 by November, we are better 75% of the time.