Top Post: Unelected Pols Shouldn’t Vote

State lawmakers refuse to give up the practice of allowing unelected substitutes to indefinitely serve and vote in the House and Senate. Perhaps there is some legitimacy to having a substitute temporarily fill in for a legislator who, because of an emergency, must be absent for a few days while the session is underway. But it’s gotten out of hand. Today, substitutes — who have never stood for election — are granted full voting rights while the elected lawmaker is gone over the course of two or three full legislative sessions. This last session, one substitute was handed the gavel and presided over the state Senate, having never secured a single vote to validate his presence either on the floor of the Senate or behind the rostrum/Wayne Hoffman, Idaho Freedom Foundation . More here . (AP Photo: Wayne Hoffman at Statehouse)

Question: Is it wrong to have unelected individuals replace for Idaho legislators for an extended period — and cast votes in their stead?