Joe Smith: State-Wide Vacancies Deserve a Vote of the People, not an Appointment from the Governor

As the people of Missouri, we elected our Senators, Representatives, Auditor, Lt. Governor and so forth. Election results are decided by the voting majority, and frankly, that’s the way it should be. We the people make appointments in state government.

Due to various reasons, there are times when those we elect can’t complete their term. There are times when impeachment occurs, which is very rare. Elected-officials can face tragedies or personal family matters that prevent them from fulfilling their time in office. When these rare instances occur and a state-wide seat is left vacant, our current law gives the governor the ability to appoint his or her choice for a replacement.

It doesn’t seem right for a state-wide office that Missouri citizens elect in the first place to be filled by the governor’s special appointment when these instances take place. I think if the seat becomes open, a special election should be held to fill that position by a vote of the people – not an appointment by the governor.

That is why Representative Jason Smith District 150 introduced a bill that puts the power back in the hands of the people. House Bill 1497 states that if there is a vacancy in a state-wide office, the governor can make a temporary appointment to the seat, but only until a special election can be held. When the election results are official, the governor’s temporary appointment will be replaced by the individual that Missourians elect to office. If there is an impeachment, the Governor will temporarily administer the duties of the office until the trial. If there is a conviction, the vote will be put in the hands of the people of Missouri.

We live in a country that gives us freedom, and those freedoms should be honored in state-government – especially when it comes to a decision on who will run our state-wide offices. I am happy to report that Representative Jason Smith’s HB1497 was brought to the floor and passed this week.

We are hopeful that it passes the Senate and is signed into law by the Governor.