LETTER: Ethnical questions arise during election

To the Editor:

It is an election year and with such activities comes controversy and often confusion.

Here is a simple lesson from Robert Hickey, deputy director of The Protocol School of Washington. “Sometimes you will see or hear former mayors addressed as mayor (name) but it is not correct, Address a former mayor as Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (whatever honorific they had before becoming mayor) (Name). The reason? In a city there is only one mayor at a time. It’s not respectful to the current officer holder, and is potentially confusing to be addressing more than one person as mayor (Name).

This contrasts with officials of which there is more than one office holder at a time — e.g, there are many judges, ambassadors, generals, admirals, professors, senators etc. at a time — and these former office holders do use their (professional honorific)+(Name) in every situation for the rest of their lives. And one more question: did the mayor leave office on good terms? Those who leave a high office in disgrace do not continue to be addressed as The Honorable.”

Wisconsin takes misrepresentation of title to another level in Chapter 12 of the statutes.  12.05 False representations affecting elections. No person may knowingly make or publish, or cause to be made or published, a false representation pertaining to a candidate or referendum which is intended or tends to affect voting at an election.

History: 1973 c. 334; 1993 a. 175.

More drama can be found in Wisconsin Statute Chapter 11, 11.61 to be exact; this is the chapter defining prosecution and penalty for violations.

Just a lesson in the ethics and laws of running for political office.

A word to the wise.

Scottie Ellen Ard

New Richmond

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion