Charleston is about to elect its first new mayor in forty years, and Charleston City Paper columnist Elliott A. Smith has a few ideas about what the Lowcountry should ask from their new mayor. Specifically, he says, Charleston is going to need a mayor who will work toward a new era of civic progress. Why? Because Charleston is becoming a more equitable, diverse, and forward-thinking city every day. He suggests that the new mayor commit to a sophisticated model of civic process. Civic process represents "the art and science of developing fair, reliable, long-term solutions to complex social problems." It refers to principles of governmental decision-making like transparency, oversight and accountability, proactive inclusiveness, and more. It is the philosophy of good governance. The word "integrity" is thrown around in just about any election, and Charleston's mayoral election is no exception. Smith says that a mayor who prioritizes civic process over strategic political pandering is a mayor with integrity. We'll find out soon enough who Charleston's new mayor will be, and whether he will live up to Smith's lofty ideal. Read the full article here: Smith: What We Should Demand of Our New Mayor