By Ahmar Khan

ST. MARY’S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN -- At least two St. Mary’s commissioners Tom Mattingly (D. Leonardtown) and Dan Raley (D. Great Mills) were rejoicing Wednesday evening as no candidate filed to run against them by deadline time Monday.

Other than Raley and Mattingly, those who seem to be getting a smooth ride without any rival were County Treasurer Jannette Norris, States Attorney Richard Fritz, Wills Register Dianne McWilliams and Education Board chairman Sal Raspa.

Interestingly there were no political turncoats this time around as that date passed almost two weeks ago on June 19.

Mattingly was at the election commission after failing to get the staff on line. “I have been calling all day long but no dice,” he told the election officials. But the board officials said a power outage earlier in the day had affected their phone line.

Commissioner Jarboe said the parties may now decide to filed candidates against those who have no opponent. “I and Commissioner Kenny Dement (R. Piney Point) have been working real hard but these two are real lucky,” he said.

As many 371 convicted felons can not vote in St. Mary’s, director of the all-women St. Mary’s election board said Monday evening. “They are too busy,” said Katherine Countiss, “They don’t have time to register.”

She explained any person who is convicted of a felony his or her name is removed from the voters’ registration list. “Once the probation is completed, community service done and restitution is paid they can be registered again.”

Asked if the same yardstick is applied on those contesting the elections, Countiss replied, “No comments.”

Countiss said the number of voters have jumped five times since 1979 when she joined the election board. “It was around 10,000 at that time. Now it’s more than 50,000.”

As of Monday morning there were 51,725 registered voters in the county, the election board records show.

Quite a few “Donkeys” and “Elephants” woke up at the last minute and filed for their respective parties central committees as the last day of filing as the St. Mary’s Election Commission passed July 3, 9 a.m.

Four of the six Republican candidates who filed on the last day were David Bowles, Tom Haynie, Bryan Jaffe and Louis Sierra. Vernon Osborn filed on the second last day of filing which was June 30 while John Watts filed on June 28.

The four who filed for the central committee membership of the Democratic party on D-day were Doris Bean, Kathleen O’Brien, Charles “Pappy” Wade and Pat Woodburn. Five Democratic party members Julie Randall, Joe Anderson, John Alonzo Gaskin, Joseph Knoefel, and Ruth Lowery filed for the Central committee on the second last day, which was June 30. Bill Bates, Walter Powell, Cindy Slattery filed earlier to run for the Democratic Central Committee.

There are 1,381 more Democratic voters than Republicans. As many as 20,760 Republican party voters will chose five out of the six candidates vying for the party’s central committee and 22,081 Democratic party voters will have to chose seven out of the dozen candidates running for their party’s Central Committee.

There are as much as 8,098 voters who call themselves unaffiliated, then there are 566 voters who belong to a plethora of lost and marginal parties and are registered as “other” Green Party has 125 voters, The Libertarian Party 77 votes the Constitution Party 18.

 “Had it been a federal job we would have got a bonus,” Countiss said as the clock struck 9 pm.

Members at the all-women election board laughed their hearts out when asked if their life was boring without any male member around. At least one member said on condition of not being named that it was hell lot more difficult working in an all women office.