Newly elected Rapid City mayor Jason Salamun is admitting he doesn’t really have a mandate to govern. After beating four other candidates in the June 6 municipal election with a measly 32% of the vote, Mayor Salamun has made reinstating runoffs for city leaders one of his top priorities:
At the most recent city Legal and Finance committee, city attorney Joel Landeen said this is a top priority of the new mayor.
“It is on the agenda today because he requested that an ordinance be drafted and put on the agenda,” Landeen said. “Speaking with him, I think he thought it was something that was going to have fairly universal support based on his discussions with people. He described it to me as something we could act on and be an early victory, but certainly it’s up to the council to decide if you want to adopt it or if you want to have further discussion on it before you’re comfortable adopting it.”
Landeen said the ordinance would mandate the roles of mayor and alderman receive over 50 percent of the vote [C.J. Keane, “Runoff Votes Top New Rapid City Mayor’s Priorities in First 100 Days,” SDPB Radio, 2023.07.13].
I’m with you, Mr. Mayor. No democratic decision should take effect without at least a majority vote. Rapid City got rid of runoffs in 2019, mostly to save money. But democracy and a clear governing mandate for elected are worth the expense.
The full city council will discuss Ordinance #6577 requiring a majority vote for mayor and alderpeople and restoring runoffs as a means to ensure that majority mandate at their next meeting this Monday, July 17.
How refreshing. Mayor Salamun seems capable of integrity, service, and actually expressing love for his town. Giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Hear, hear All Mammal …
How does one say “Salamun?”
I know how to say “Estes.”
Grudz, I have heard Mr Salamun pronounce his name much the way it is spelled – Sol (short O) – uh – mun.
More to the point of Cory’s post, “saving money” by eliminating run-off elections is laughable. If there is anything more worthy of expenditure of public resources than the democratic process, I do not know of it. Government at every level above neighborhood road district routinely pisses away vastly more than any election costs. Elections are essential and fundamental. Eliminating run-offs was stupid.
If Mr. Salamun had any integrity at all he would admit Rapid City is irreparably broken and swear not to run for another term.
Respectfully disagree. Point to an election whereby the plurality vote getter did not ‘win’ the runoff. It would be exceedingly rare.
99% of run off elections are a waste of time, creating a facade of acquiescence. We ought focus on the business of governing, not the beauty contest.
Scientists found that all political decisions are what the elites wanted – not what the middle class, or the whole population wanted. In fact, what political rulers undertake for policies and actions never is the popular will – unless that popular will is that also wanted by the elites (the top 1-5%). You think we live in a democratic republic . . .
Run off elections historically have less than 10% turnout. So again, a few voters decide. And, the city and the schools should conduct their own elections and not contract with the county.
Let’s be honest… This change is all about enshrining Republican leadership. The social media chatter on the right was terrified during this election because there were so many R candidates that Laura Armstrong stood a good chance of winning… Going to a runoff system kills that R split and all but guarantees an R win.
See also Georgia Senate races for the last 50 years until the last two cycles.
I’m a Democrat. I don’t want a Democrat or a Republican mayor. Mayoral positions in most Midwestern states are nonpartisan positions.
We have non-partisan elections for that office and for alders and these officials are supposed to govern for the good of all citizens without regard to party affiliation. People who try to turn such elections into partisan affairs are cutting against South Dakota culture and custom. When I lived in Rapid City I never considered what party the candidates for mayor were when I went into the voting booth. Issues mattered to me, and many of those issues often had a mix of Democrats and Republicans on both sides.
All offices should be determined by the majority of voters. That includes city alders all the way up to Presidents. There is nothing less “democratic” or “republican” than people “elected” to an office with less than a majority of the people voting, whether that is done by this stupid policy in Rapid City or the Electoral College.