Primary election is today

September 10, 2002|by LAURA ERNDE

laurae@herald-mail.com

Washington County voters will cut in half the number of candidates running for County Commissioner when they go to the polls in today's primary election.

Election Director Dorothy Kaetzel said poll workers will be ready for voters to start arriving at 7 a.m. today. Polls are open until 8 p.m.

Kaetzel said she doesn't expect a large turnout.

Traditionally, voter interest tends to drop in nonpresidential years, she said. Also, there are few contested local races to draw the 30,700 registered Democrats and 33,800 registered Republicans to the polls.

In the Republican primary, voters will pick five of the 13 County Commissioner candidates to compete in the Nov. 5 general election.

In the Democratic primary, the top five of eight candidates will move forward.

Among those running for seats in the Washington County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, there's only one contested primary race. It's in District 3B, which covers southern Washington and Frederick counties.

Democrats will choose whether Lisa Baugher of Tuscarora or Paul Gilligan of Burkittsville gets to face Republican Richard B. Weldon Jr. of Brunswick in November.

In the congressional race, Democrats will determine whether Donald M. DeArmon of Frederick or Kevin Shaffer of LaVale will get a shot at unseating U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md.

In statewide balloting for comptroller, Democrats will decide between incumbent William Donald Schaefer, John T. Willis or Lih Young. Republicans will choose between Augustus Alzona and Gene Zarwell.

For attorney general, Republicans will determine whether Edwin MacVaugh or Jeffrey N. Pritzker takes on incumbent J. Joseph Curran Jr.

The Washington County Election Board can be reached at 240-313-2050.

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