Write-ins Show Big Voter Creativity


ST. MARY'S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN --- If votes in the write-in lists could
run into thousands to best the number of votes a
mostly self-nominated winner gets, there might have
been quite a few surprises in St. Mary's County, with
the probability of Judge Karen Abrams and Judge
Michael Stamm losing their black robes and either one
of them becoming the states attorney in place of
Richard Fritz.
But as machines get faster and more sophisticated,
election board officials are getting less meticulous,
ST. MARY'S TODAY learned on Monday afternoon.
"In the past we used to have a very careful tally of
the exact number of write-in votes," said Linda Knott.
"We no longer do it."
The Write-in Detail By Ballot at one place also reads
"Demented Kenny" with reference to Kenny Dement (R.
Piney Point) who had an easy win against his
Democratic challenger Alfreda Mathis.
Christy Chesser could have posed a formidable
challenge to Fritz and might have avoided the public
limelight she seems to hate. But according to some
local observers, though Chesser might have got Judge
Abrams support she "chickened out" and went for a
comparatively easier job.
It's not just Donald Duck and Marilyn Monroe who are
popular among voters, some legends in their lifetime
others who passed away but served the community above
self-interests when they were alive, are still
people's choice for elected office, a write-in list
obtained from St. Mary's Board of elections revealed.
Those whose who continue to be loved by the community
include  Jennifer Schaefer and defeated comptroller
Willaim Donald Schaefer, former senator and states
attorney Walter B. Dorsey-1, former senator J. Frank
Raley, Charles Ridgell, Roger Staiger, John Kolb, Zach
Messite, Patty Smith and Alan Smith.
The longest list of different kinds of write-ins were
against the States Attorney  office on which Richard
Fritz got elected unopposed and Commissioner District
4 seat which returned Dan Raley (D. Great Mills)
unopposed. There were at least 25 different types of
write-ins for the States Attorney office and 14
different write-ins. The write-ins against the two
included "Anyone But Fritz" and "Anyone Other Than Mr.
Raley."
The write-ins for Commissioner District 4 were, Luis
Mejis 1, (Deceased) Larry Millison, "Abstain," Alan
Smith, Grant Cutler, Joe Brannon, J. Frank Raley,
Shawn Woodburn, Jeff Harmon, Ron Baker, Donald
Johnson, John Kolb and Jennifer Shaefer.
The write-ins for Commissioner District 1 were "Anyone
Else," and Roger Staiger.
House of delegates 29A the write-ins include Zach
Messite, Charles Richly Raley Sr., and Clare Whitbeck.
The write-ins for the sheriff's office include Kevin
Daryl Sommerville II and Daryl Somerville.
The write-ins for board of education District 1
included Tony Holmes, Nancy Luiginbill, James Madison,
Charles Ridgell, "Abstain," Roger Staiger, Gary Lee
Weaver Sr., Rand Eller, and J.J. Sharp.
The write-ins for board of education District Three
include Charles Ridgell, Brandi Ubanks, J. Frank
Raley, "No Confidence," and Nancy Balta.
The write-ins on the governor's seat were Roger
Staiger and Mickey Mouse and that for Attorney General
were Donald Duck and Stuart Simms.
The write-ins for the Judge of Orphans Court were
James Johnston 1, Charles Ridgell V, John Mattingly 1,
James A. Smith, Jeff Harmon, Alan G. Smith, Patty
Smith, Thomas Shorts, Becky Tice.
The write-ins for the state senator's seat were Annie
Baker, Eric Barkhmer, Bob Bauman and Benedict Duke.
The Judge of Circuit Circuit 7 too had some
interesting write-ins: They were: Christopher
Longmore, Jay Gatton 1, George Sparling V, John
Thomas, Shane Mattingly III, S. Mattingly, Mickey
Mouse, James A. Smith, Jennifer Schaefer 1 and John
Kolb.
The write-ins for the register of wills office include
Tony Holmes, Charles Ridgell, Abstain, Curtis Dennis,
Patty Smith, Valerie Smith, Jennifer Schaefer 1,
Roxanne Mejai and Jessica Balta.
The write-ins for the treasurer's office include Tony
Norris. M Shiela Homes, Veronic Johnson 1, Abstain,
Dennis Hubscher 1, Shawn Woodson, Curtis Dennis, Doris
Bean, Patty Smith, Jennifer Schaefer 1, Qaiser
Waraich, Nina Guy, Mickey Mouse, and George Walls.
The write-ins for congress seat include Peter Kunert
VI, Robert Brookins, Pamela McDaniel, "Sponge Bob
Square Pants," Alan Smith 1, "Labro Parish," Keith
Kehan 1, Buddy Guy, William Joseph Trusty Jr and John
Kolb.
The writes-in for states attorney's office were:
Mattingly Jr., George Sparling III, Christopher
Longmore, Christy Chesser 1, Michael Stamm, Alan
Cecil, Daffy Duck, John Thomas, Douglas Gansler,
Walter B. Dorsey 1, "Anyone Else," Undecided, John
Woodburn, "A. Democrat," Marilyn Monroe, Ernest Bell,
Gary Lee Weaver, Sam Baldwin 1, "Anyone But Fritz,"
John P.S. Pugh, Stephen Butler, Karen Abrams, Mike
Harris, A. Shane Mattingly, and "No Confidence."
The write-ins for the comptroller included Donald
Schaefer 1, John Quade, Bob Auerbach, William Donald
Schaefer and Robert Swan.