Hospital board won’t change its elections
Staff writer
Although St. Luke Hospital board member Dan Holub has said for two years that he wants to see hospital board elections made more accessible, his calls to conduct this year’s election a different way went largely unheard Tuesday.
Hospital board elections will be at 5 p.m. May 27. People wanting to cast a vote may attend that night’s board meeting, listen to candidates say why they want to be on the board, then mark a ballot and drop it in a box.
“Can we open up this to all day?” Holub asked.
Board chairman Linda Carlson said she was concerned that if people voted before candidates spoke, they would not know the candidates.
Holub said having an election for longer hours was a simple thing and would allow more people to participate. Voters’ other responsibilities on election day could mean they might be unable to be at the hospital at just the right time.
“You know, we need to be a little pragmatic about this thing,” Holub said. “It’s a busy time of year.”
Holub moved to allow voting all day so people would have a chance to vote, but his motion died for lack of a second.
Board member Kathy Inlow suggested sending letters and ballots to addresses in the hospital district.
Carlson said “the sad thing” was that as far as she was concerned, nobody cared.
“I’ve been here the longest,” Carlson said.
She was elected in 2011.
Board member Byron Lange contended that people did have a chance to vote.
Holub’s words apparently did reach some board members.
After discussing whether there might be different ways, board member Jeff Soyez, whose term expires this year, suggested that chief executive Alex Haines and staff look at options for extending election procedures for the 2026 election, when three members’ terms expire. Board members could review the ideas at the 2026 annual board retreat. Members voted their approval.