San Francisco election director faces losing post so city can hit 'diversity targets' for payrolls

San Francisco Elections Commission director John Arntz may have his contract terminated due to concerns about racial equality, the Washington Free Beacon reports. 

Arntz is white and commission voted 4-2 last week to "open a competitive search" for Arntz's position as election commission director. He has had this position for two decades, Cynthia Dai, a member of the commission told the Beacon.

Dai voted in favor of the search process. 

"It's hard to achieve diversity targets if senior roles never open up," Dai told the Free Beacon. "This has nothing to do with his performance."

Democrat San Francisco mayor London Breed said that she disagreed with the commission's decision.

"John Arntz has served San Francisco with integrity [and] professionalism and has stayed completely independent," Breed said in an interview with Mission Local, a online news site covering city issues.  "He's remained impartial and has avoided getting caught up in the web of city politics, which is what we are seeing now as a result of this unnecessary vote."

California has not allowed affirmative action hiring in government since 1996, and Dai assures people that if Arntz is the most qualified, he will keep his job.