Nixon vetoes

Two vetoes by Gov. Jay Nixon this month caught our attention recently.

The first, Senate Bill 282, included a "non-elections elections" provision where cities of 35,000 individuals or fewer would not be required to hold an election if the number of positions up for election equaled the number of candidates filing. It's understandable some might support this provision as a cost-cutting measure. However, a key concern this provision introduces is the prevention of write-in candidates for said cities. Some might argue that if someone wants to run they should file during the allotted period. But given the amount of time between the close of the filing period and the election, there is a chance that new information could surface regarding a particular candidate, and then, because of the provision, voters would not have the option of electing a different candidate.

The second piece of legislation vetoed by the governor was House Bill 184. This bill introduced new exemptions to the Sunshine Law, allowing for closed meetings, records and votes of public entity risk associations. On the surface this might seem mundane, but it's vitally important to our democracy to promote transparency. Providing for exceptions, however insignificant they might seem, should not be taken lightly.

We commend Gov. Nixon for vetoing the aforementioned bills. Yes, legislation that cuts costs and streamlines bureaucratic processes can be positive. But such legislation should also be examined for potential pitfalls and halted when appropriate.