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Cass County commissioners deadlock on chair after multiple secret ballots
Summary
The Cass County Board of Commissioners failed to elect a chair after repeated secret-ballot rounds left no majority. Commissioners caucused, recessed and voted to continue secret ballots; no chair was selected by the end of the proceedings.
The Cass County Board of Commissioners failed to elect a chair after multiple secret-ballot rounds at its meeting, producing repeated split tallies and no majority winner.
The stalemate matters because commissioners said a chair is needed to make committee appointments and to help lead the board through upcoming administrative and contract work. After several tied secret ballots, the board voted to continue using secret ballots rather than switching to a public roll-call vote.
Commissioner Grice nominated Commissioner Marchetti, Commissioner Barrera nominated Commissioner Jones and Commissioner Langley nominated James Lawrence for the one-year chair term. The board held repeated secret ballots; each reported result showed Commissioner Marchetti with 2 votes, Commissioner Lawrence with 3 votes and Commissioner Jones with 3 votes. The votes produced the same split in multiple rounds, leaving no candidate with a majority.
During the process commissioners took a short recess to caucus in groups of no more than four. Commissioners also discussed obtaining a legal opinion on tie-breaking procedures; one commissioner noted the board had not received a legal opinion on a similar issue the previous year and suggested the clerk preside at the next meeting until counsel advised the body.
At one point a proposal was raised to switch to a public roll-call vote, but a motion to retain the secret ballot procedure was made, seconded and carried by voice vote, after which the board returned to secret ballots. The transcript records the board continuing with additional secret ballots after that motion, but no candidate secured a majority before this portion of the meeting ended.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to close nominations and proceed with secret-ballot voting: moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Secret-ballot rounds for board chair (multiple rounds): repeated tallies reported — Marchetti 2, Lawrence 3, Jones 3 (no named individual roll-call available because ballots were secret); outcome: no winner. - Motion to continue with secret-ballot voting (rather than switching to public roll call): moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote).
What remains: No chair was selected during the recorded proceedings. Commissioners discussed pursuing a legal opinion and scheduled continued consideration of the chair election at future meetings; the transcript does not show a final resolution within the captured segment.
