Reform denied: No change in county ballot process

Give Jackson County Legislators Theresa Garza Ruiz and Greg Grounds credit for trying.

After the shenanigans during filing for office earlier this year, it became evident that a better way of setting the order of names on the ballot is needed. But Jackson County government is highly resistant to change.

Here’s what happened: In February, some candidates for sheriff did all sorts of goofy and questionable things to be first in line to file and therefore be first on the ballot. Those actions included sitting in a lawn chair all night, as if in line for Hannah Montana tickets, at the downtown County Courthouse. They also included using someone’s employee ID card or credentials to get in the building in the dead of night. No one has copped to that one just yet.

Why the fuss? Politicians generally consider that in a field of several candidates, there’s an advantage to being first on the ballot.

When this came to light, Garza Ruiz and Grounds said they got complaints from citizens, and they offered a simple fix: Put the names in a hat and draw for the ballot order. Other jurisdictions do it. It makes sense.

But it only seemed to make sense to Grounds and Garza Ruiz. The other seven legislators voted no, and the idea failed. And so it goes. Nothing changes, and Jackson County stumbles along with a well-deserved reputation for questionable politics.