Maine Governor Wants to Get Rid of the Secretary of State Job

[brooklynite]

Source: Governing

Gov. Paul LePage wants to get rid of the secretary of state position and replace it with a lieutenant governor.

The duties of the secretary of state, from running elections to licensing drivers, would come under the lieutenant governor, who also would be first in the line of succession to replace the governor.

The governor’s office confirmed it is drafting legislation that would not only make that change to the state’s constitution but would change how two other constitutional officers are appointed.

LePage wants the governor, not the Legislature, to name the attorney general and state treasurer.

Read more: http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/Maine-Governor-Wants-to-Get-Rid-of-the-Secretary-of-State-Job.html

[onehandle]

1. Still can't believe how stupid voters were to re-elect this sack of shit in a suit.

I was certain he was a goner.

We got rid of our moron teabagger in PA.

[George II]

2. Unbelievable. And I can't believe the organization of the government up there....

.....most states have a Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, Secy. of the State, and Attorney General that are ALL elected. None of them are appointed either by the governor or the legislature.

The only reason he was elected in the first place and then re-elected is that some clown always decides to run as a third party candidate. He probably would have been defeated last year if Cutler hadn't insisted on running.

[bluedigger]

5. Hey, when I left Maine, I was astonished to find out that judges are elected some places.

I think Maine (and New England in general) are more democratic than most places due to their town hall tradition of local government. And I doubt that LePage has the political capital in Maine to get any constitutional amendment enacted by the public - he doesn't have that kind of majority mandate.

[George II]

7. The Senate is republican (20-15), the House is Democratic (78-68, with 8 non-voting or independent)

Not much chance of any constitutional amendment coming out of that legislature)

[kelliekat44]

3. I don't mint a Lt. Governor actually having to work. But this move means that state and local

elections are more important than ever.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. We have a Lt. governor here in PA

who runs as part of the pair of governor/Lt governor. But I think some states allow that position to run separately and the person could be from a different party.

[jpak]

6. That would be great - if they pass an amendment to the state's constitution...

so we could impeach LePew.

yup

[Thor_MN]

8. Let me guess, the state conservatives are howling at the stunning overreach of extecutive power

The lawless power grab of LePage.

What? Silence? huh....