ST. LOUIS (KTVI)–Legislation working its way through the Missouri General Assembly that would require candidates for office in all political subdivisions in the state to declare their political party faced strong opposition at a hearing in Jefferson City last month, and on Tuesday, the city of Chesterfield weighed in on the issue.
The City Council voted 6-2 Monday night to oppose House Bill 1611, which would make candidates in any political subdivisions that are currently non-partisan bodies, such as school boards and municipal city councils, identify with a party label. Councilmembers Tom DeCampi and Aaron Wahl dissented.
Gasconade County area State Representative Bruce Sassmann introduced the bill, which would not add primaries to the election process, and candidates could still identify themselves as Independent. “If they (voters) don’t have an opportunity to study every candidate, maybe they can get a glimpse of what the candidate’s personal or political philosophy might be when they looked at the name on the ballot,” Sassmann told our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in December when he pre-filed the bill.
“School boards should not be partisan. Fire boards should not be partisan. Sewer and water boards should not be partisan. These board (sic) deal with local issues which are not partisan,” Jessica Shepherd said in testimony at a January 24 hearing on the bill. “Labeling candidates by party will discourage candidates from running because some wish to be civil servants and give back to their community but not be involved in partisan politics. We do not need division and partisan gridlock among our local officials.”
The cities of Lee’s Summit and St. Peters, along with the Missouri NEA and the Missouri Municipal League also opposed the bill, with Mark Bruns, a lobbyist for St. Peters telling the panel “partisanship will create confusion, polarity and divisiveness in the community.”
The bill is not currently on the House calendar for further action.
