It’s an election ‘lection ’lection year!
We’ve already written about the silliness of the Toledo city charter. When a vacancy in a city council district seat is filled by appointment during an election year, the appointee must face a special election in May. Then turn around and win a primary election that same September to winnow down the field of candidates to two. Then win election two months later, in November.
Do the math. That’s three elections in six months. If you win the seat they must really, really want you to win the seat. Such is the lot of newly elected District 4 Rep. Yvonne Harper, who won the seat on May 5th. And faces two more elections this year.
That’s only for district council reps, though. When a vacancy in an at-large seat or mayor is filled, there is one winner-take-all race to be held at the next regularly scheduled general election.
Field of four
Thus we have this year’s truly bizarre scenario. The September primary will narrow the field in each of the six district elections to the top two vote-getters. But the appointee to the at-large seat vacated by the passing of Jack Ford won’t be on the ballot. Nope. Cecilia Adams and all her potential adversaries won’t face a primary to narrow the field. Instead they will all breeze pass September to be elected in a free-for-all in November.
Likewise Mayor Paula Hicks Hudson, elevated to become mayor with the passing of D. Michael Collins, will not face a primary in September. The entire field of candidates will race past that election and head to the finish line in November.
It’s silliness we refuse to put up with. So never fear, kindly reader. We’re here to help put things right, by holding our own primary right in these humble column-inches. If the city charter won’t narrow the field to the top two, it’s up to us.
First things first. The field of candidates. As of this writing only two candidates have officially declared their candidacy. Sitting Mayor Hicks Hudson and perennial candidate and self-proclaimed prophetess Opal Covey are officially in the running. But we can add to that list the worst held secret of the year. Republican operative and widow of former Mayor Collins, Sandy Drabik Collins, will surely announce her official candidacy any day now, so we’ll assume she’s in.
And hold onto your skivvies, folks, word on the street has it that a fourth and fickler candidate will also declare soon. Let the shudder pass, and let’s move on.
Who’s number two?
Who would make it past the primary, if the charter called for such a thing?
History would indicate that a sitting mayor at least clears the primary. Even Mike Bell, who lost resoundingly in the general election two years ago, won the primary in September. Let’s assume Hicks Hudson would do likewise. That leaves the question, which of the other three would make it to November?
Let’s do some quick comparisons. Drabik Collins sez she wants to complete her husband’s legacy. She cares so much that she never changed her name while he was alive, but once she was recruited to run for the seat she got all sentimental and raced to the Probate Court to start the process.
It begs the question, what exactly is the legacy she wants to complete? Outdated notions and a wardrobe to match? An administration on such bad terms with city council that council regularly rejects her initiatives?
An administration filled with a mix of retreads and newbies so wet behind the ears they have gills?
More likely she’s running to complete John Kasich’s legacy, as in a run for President. He wants a good Republican in office in Toledo so he can creep around town. Regardless of whether she strategically calls herself an “Independent” with the knowledge a Republican can’t win in a Democratic town like Toledo.
