Two bills are pending in the Maine legislature to make elections for county office non-partisan. LD 972 has ten sponsors and relates to county commissioner elections. LD 1189, by Representative Walter Kumiega, refers to elections for district attorney, sheriff, and register of probate.
Do they really think this will make any difference? Here in California, Supt. of Public Instruction plus all county, municipal and special district officers run and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot BUT everyone knows what party these people represent. The Republican and Democratic committees certainly put out the information about who “their” local office-holders are.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/262651854/FEC-Filing-by-CES-of-NBCP-4-21-15
http://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/P60007010/1005625/
The only positive that a non-partisan election provides, is that it allows a 3rd party candidate to run as a person, and not have to expose the baggage of his party. I have witnessed several 3rd party members run as non-partisan, and it did not hurt their vote – if any thing, it made the voter higher. Usually in a local jurisdiction, every one knows the candidates and they don’t let the party membership influence their vote. Unless there is a law, what prohibits from advertising as a 3rd party, even if the race is non-partisan. We always need to keep the party name out there when the chance allows.
Meaningless. The only reform that would make any difference is proportional representation. Hell,Chicago has had non-partisan city council elections since 1920.