The electoral chaos about conflicting spring 2012 election dates now ensnaring the city of Waco and municipalities and school districts across Texas is so bewildering and so baffling, it may take time for some civic leaders to sort it all out, let alone a public that has plenty else to do. Waco Mayor Jim Bush has the right idea, though.

In short, buy time by resolving to mount next spring’s city elections as scheduled — except with old-fashioned paper ballots instead of computerized county election machines. Meanwhile, the city can set in motion the meticulous process of altering our city charter, including public hearings so the public can offer its two cents.

Confused? Blame federal and state governments for passing along another unfunded mandate, one full of fiscal consequences and logistical headaches. The entire mess comes from legislation allowing military personnel and other citizens overseas enough time to vote in elections.

Simple enough, right? Wrong. The problem for Waco and others comes in 2012, when federal and state primary runoff elections are slated for May 22. Early voting for those elections begins May 14 — two days after city and school elections using the very same county election machines.

Root of the problem

County officials say this two-day gap between local elections and those for state and federal elections isn’t time enough to reprogram the machines — and because their chief obligation is to county, state and federal elections, the machines and election staffs are effectively unavailable if cities and schools still hold their May elections in even-numbered years.

New state law provides city councils and school boards few viable options — moving elections to November with more raucous elections; allowing them to stage their own elections in May rather than contracting with county election administrators to manage such affairs; or holding May elections only in odd-numbered years when no county, state or federal runoff elections can interfere.

Wisely, the Waco Independent School District and McLennan Community College are considering restructuring terms so that elections arise only in odd-numbered years. But, our city charter requires that Waco hold a charter election to undertake any changes — and it would have to call that election by next month to address the May 2012 election. And even if it put together a charter election, there’s no guarantee the Department of Justice would approve proposed changes, which could render the charter election moot — and that’s assuming voters are even agreeable.

Unfunded mandate

If all this seems unnecessary, you’re right. Federal and state officials seldom worry about how decisions affect local folks. If the city of Waco, for instance, resolves to get into the election business, it could cost $372,000 for 45 machines and more than $85,000 the first year for city staffing.

We continue to urge the city to hold its future elections (after 2012) in odd-numbered years, even if it means going through the trouble of a charter election, including public hearings. We’re confident that once voters hear what Washington and Austin have done, they’ll agree this is the best, most cost-efficient course of action.

The mayor’s proposal this week shows the down-to-earth pragmatism we have come to expect of him. Hold the spring 2012 elections the old-fashioned way, with paper ballots. Meanwhile, steps can be taken to hold a city charter election. We suspect that once the public sounds off, city leaders will be more reluctant to spend nearly half a million bucks to get into the election business, especially in these trying economic times. Let’s show once again we’re smarter than state and federal lawmakers by simply using common sense.