Elections Commission dumps John Arntz

Photo: Lydia Chavez

From Mission Local:

Elections director John Arntz, who oversees one of the few San Francisco departments that unambiguously accomplishes its core mission, has not been renewed for his post by the city’s Elections Commission.

By a vote of 4-2 after a lengthy Wednesday closed-session meeting, the commission opted to not re-up Arntz for the position he has held since 2002. The position will come open in May, 2023.

The vote to not renew Arntz’s five-year term came not quite eight days after the city’s fourth election in the calendar year, and fifth election in one year’s time.

In 2021, the Elections Commission wrote to the mayor that “San Francisco runs one of the best elections in the country and we believe this transparent process has allowed us to continue to improve our elections.” 

In 2020, it wrote Arntz a commendation “for his incredible leadership … The Department successfully ran two elections this year while facing significant challenges, including national threats to election security, mandatory vote-by-mail operations to all registered voters, anticipated increase in voter participation, budget cuts, and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The reaction across the city’s political spectrum has been one of disbelief — and anger.

“I think some folks have forgotten the history of this department,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “Before Director Arntz, we had five directors in as many years, ballot boxes floating in the bay and an intense lack of confidence in city elections. Many of us are mystified.”

Supervisor Aaron Peskin added, “This is commission malfeasance. It almost becomes a justification for Mayor Breed to have letters of resignation from people who do things that are completely insane”....

....Elections Commissioner Cynthia Dai, who voted to not renew Arntz’s contract, said there was no performance-based reason for the commission’s decision. 

She did not dispute that San Francisco has run free, fair and functional elections for 20 years. Rather, she says, it was time to open up this position to a more diverse field; the city, she said, could not make progress on its racial equity goals without opening up its top positions....

Rob's comment:

This is the kind of shit that gives even an attempt at political correctness a bad name. 

What is really behind that bafflegab: She and the other morons who voted against Arntz are saying they don't want a white man in charge of the city's elections department. 

Better to have a woman or a person of color here in Progressive Land---or maybe a gay man, though it's not clear what Arntz's sexual orientation is.

That is not "progress." It's bullshit and shameful political malpractice.

Dec. 18 update: S.F. Elections Director will likely be offered his job after all.