The public does not like appointments to elected offices. Whether it’s a group of committeemen, the mayor of a city, or the governor -- the appointment process never seems or feels completely fair. For starters, the preliminary interviews and vetting typically occur behind closed doors. Prospective appointees advocate for the job, but only to those who control the appointment decision. The public might hear rhetoric about the criteria for the decision, but is left thinking that the rationale offered is little more than spin.
Normally, once the appointment has been made, there is some initial grumbling about the lack of public input in the process. And no more. But the recent allegations that Gov. Rod Blagojevich sought to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate has changed the old political calculus about appointments.
Prominent Democrats, Republicans, and editorial boards have opined that this time the appointee should be elected rather than selected. I too have supported calls for a special election. And I continue to believe that a special election is the optimal solution for guaranteeing transparency and public accountability. But there is a considerable downside -- the cost. The bill for a statewide special election could reach $30 million. Not chump change at a time when the state has been forced to borrow upwards of $1 billion to pay its bills.
