The royal plural here* recently reported on the tragic departure of Maggie Valley’s Mayor Ron DeSimone. DeSimone died in a construction accident, and I think it was just super that, in contrast to stereotypes, this political figure was in private life actually engaging in trade, as opposed to shuffling papers, money, and “community energy.”
But as the sorrow winds down, Maggie has another problem. DeSimone died just thirty minutes after the filing deadline for the upcoming mayoral race. Logic indicates the contenders did not share his political philosophy, and so those of his stripe must now run as write-ins. Alderpeople can run as write-ins, but if one wins, he must vacate his alderperson seat, which would then be filled by appointment. Candidates running for alderperson can run both races, but then they will have to choose which seat to take if they win both. If Saralyn Price, who is mayor pro tem, is appointed to fill the mayoral seat for the unused portion of the term, she would be booted prematurely; she could only stay on the board if she were to run as a write-in. Price, who came to the board as a write-in in 2005, indicated it was time to mourn and premature to be strategizing like this.
*what I call myselves
