Musical chairs on the County Council could be solved by the governor, but it shouldn't be.

Former County Councilman Peter Lamb recently resigned from the council and was sworn in last week as an interim magistrate, leaving his seat representing Hilton Head Island vacant. Council Chairman Weston Newton recently moved out of his district to Myrtle Island, and Councilman Dick Stewart last year moved out of his district in downtown Beaufort to Spring Island.

Lamb said a few weeks ago that he was confident that the governor would appoint a replacement for him. He painted the scenario like this:

• Appoint Newton to Lamb's seat. Newton represents the south end of Hilton Head Island but recently moved to Myrtle Island, which is in Lamb's district. At this point, Newton is running unopposed for Lamb's seat in the November election.

• Appoint newly resigned Beaufort County school board member Stu Rodman to Newton's Hilton Head Island seat. At this point, Rodman is running unopposed for Newton's seat in the November election.

While no one is opposing the two candidates for these two seats, and Newton said the governor is aware of his move and that he serves at the governor's pleasure, we think it is bad form to appoint someone to the seats for five months before they will be sworn to office in January.

Although everything may be on the up and up, the shuffling of chairs without a vote seems a little too convenient. There is no divine right to an elected seat. While there is no apparent opposition, it is possible to mount a write-in campaign.

No one should count their chicks before they hatch, and the inclination is that the governor will wait on the voters in November.

In the meantime, Rodman is to be commended for stepping aside early enough to allow his seat to be filled without the expense of a special election separate from the November general election.