Election Judges

janeth@herald-mail.com CLEAR SPRING - While chief election judges Tom and Emily Knode monitored the polls in Clear Spring on Tuesday, their first grandchild elected to have a Nov. 2 birthday - 11 days after his due date. Election day seemed a fitting birthday for a baby whose grandparents have been manning the polls for years - 20 for Emily for the Democratic Party and eight for Tom for the Republican Party. But it meant they couldn't meet their new grandson until after the polls closed.

The Washington County Board of Elections needs 30 Hagerstown registered voters to serve as election judges for the next two years, said Dorothy Kaetzel, election director. Election judges serve two-year terms. Those selected would work at polling places for the 2000 primary and general elections, and the primary and general city elections in 2001. The pay is $100 per day. Applicants must be registered city voters because only city voters are allowed to work the polls for city elections, Kaetzel said.

scottb@herald-mail.com Extra steps required of poll workers for Tuesday's primary election - the first using touch-screen voting machines - led to some ballots being turned in later than usual and led to other related problems, Washington County Election Director Dorothy Kaetzel said Wednesday. Voters told election judges, as poll workers in Maryland are called, that they were comfortable using the touch-screen machines to cast their ballots, Kaetzel said. The Washington County Board of Elections conducted an aggressive voter-education campaign demonstrating the new voting machines to at least 75 area groups.

FUNKSTOWN - The Funkstown Town Council voted Monday night to make three changes to the town's election, set for May 1. The council voted unanimously to appoint a three-member board of election supervisors. The council also voted to appoint two trained election judges, who will be paid $100 each. Town Clerk Brenda Haynes said at Monday's meeting that after the council voted to use paper ballots in the election, she found voting booths that the town could purchase. The council voted unanimously Monday to purchase the booths - totaling $490.

ANNAPOLIS - Washington County lawmakers are tinkering with a number of local laws this legislative session on issues ranging from election judges' pay to the makeup of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts' board of trustees. In addition to its broad legislative package dealing with everything from tip jar gambling to debt reduction, the Washington County delegation to the General Assembly is tackling more mundane tasks during this session of the Maryland General Assembly. Local legislation this session is designed to: Give the Rohrersville Band a property tax exemption.

ANNAPOLIS - Washington County legislators agreed Wednesday to advance three of the least controversial pieces of legislation in a long list of requests. cont. from front page The county delegation to the Maryland General Assembly voted to file local bills concerning expense accounts for the County Commissioners, operating hours for the Orphans Court and the naming of the new District Court building. Two of the bills were requested by the Washington County Commissioners, who planned to attend Wednesday's meeting but postponed the trip to Annapolis because of snow.

tammyb@herald-mail.com ANNAPOLIS - Gov. Robert Ehrlich wasted no time in finalizing the first batch of bills approved by the Maryland General Assembly, conducting the first bill-signing ceremony less than 12 hours after the legislative session officially ended. Ehrlich, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch gathered in the governor's reception room at the Statehouse to sign 91 bills Tuesday morning, including nine for Washington County.

Legislature passes bills that impact local area Some bills of local interest that passed the Maryland General Assembly this session: UNDERCOVER PURCHASES - Lets Washington County police agencies make secret purchases for undercover investigations. Right now, investigators must seek bids for purchases over $25,000. PRIME OUTLETS - Allows Prime Outlets at Hagerstown to hold the same type of sidewalk exhibitions as Valley Mall. FIREFIGHTER TAX CREDIT - Authorizes the Washington County Commissioners to offer a property tax credit to fire and rescue volunteers.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Election officials across Maryland are anticipating high voter turnout in November's general election. In Washington County, that means more electronic voting machines, more poll books and more judges. With less than four months to go before voters head to the polls to elect the country's next president, election workers here are preparing for a rush of voters and hoping to prevent long lines and last-minute registrations. "We've increased our staff, our equipment.

In their decades of experience as election officials, two Mercersburg-area precinct judges say they’ve never experienced anything like what happened after the polls closed Tuesday. With word of a tornado headed north from Maugansville in Washington County, Md., election judges Faith Carbaugh and Julia Grove took cover with their fellow poll workers. Grove called the Franklin County Election Board to say she’d be delayed in delivering results. “We left the polls and went in the bathroom,” Grove said.

In their decades of experience as election officials, two Mercersburg-area precinct judges say they’ve never experienced anything like what happened after the polls closed Tuesday. With word of a tornado headed north from Maugansville in Washington County, Md., election judges Faith Carbaugh and Julia Grove took cover with their fellow poll workers. Grove called the Franklin County Election Board to say she’d be delayed in delivering results. “We left the polls and went in the bathroom,” Grove said.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Election officials across Maryland are anticipating high voter turnout in November's general election. In Washington County, that means more electronic voting machines, more poll books and more judges. With less than four months to go before voters head to the polls to elect the country's next president, election workers here are preparing for a rush of voters and hoping to prevent long lines and last-minute registrations. "We've increased our staff, our equipment.

CLEAR SPRING - The polls closed promptly at 7 p.m. Monday in the Clear Spring town election. At 7:05 p.m., the results were announced. With only 20 residents casting ballots in the two uncontested races, it didn't take long to count. Steve Blickenstaff received 20 votes for vice mayor and Stewart Brennan pulled in 18 votes for the lone council seat up for grabs this year. "I'm very happy with the outcome," said Blickenstaff, who has been a council member for the past two years.

FUNKSTOWN - The Funkstown Town Council voted Monday night to make three changes to the town's election, set for May 1. The council voted unanimously to appoint a three-member board of election supervisors. The council also voted to appoint two trained election judges, who will be paid $100 each. Town Clerk Brenda Haynes said at Monday's meeting that after the council voted to use paper ballots in the election, she found voting booths that the town could purchase. The council voted unanimously Monday to purchase the booths - totaling $490.

marlob@herald-mail.com With 53 voters casting ballots, a longtime mayor was returned to office, and a husband and wife were elected to fill two council seats Monday in the town election. Theodore "Teddy" Hovermale received 43 votes and Carol Hovermale tallied 39, making them the top two vote-getters when the polls closed at 7 p.m. Running unopposed for mayor, Paul D. Hose Jr. received 48 votes, according to Town Clerk Juanita Grimm. Hose has held the office for 22 years.

tammyb@herald-mail.com ANNAPOLIS - Gov. Robert Ehrlich wasted no time in finalizing the first batch of bills approved by the Maryland General Assembly, conducting the first bill-signing ceremony less than 12 hours after the legislative session officially ended. Ehrlich, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch gathered in the governor's reception room at the Statehouse to sign 91 bills Tuesday morning, including nine for Washington County.

janeth@herald-mail.com CLEAR SPRING - While chief election judges Tom and Emily Knode monitored the polls in Clear Spring on Tuesday, their first grandchild elected to have a Nov. 2 birthday - 11 days after his due date. Election day seemed a fitting birthday for a baby whose grandparents have been manning the polls for years - 20 for Emily for the Democratic Party and eight for Tom for the Republican Party. But it meant they couldn't meet their new grandson until after the polls closed.

scottb@herald-mail.com Extra steps required of poll workers for Tuesday's primary election - the first using touch-screen voting machines - led to some ballots being turned in later than usual and led to other related problems, Washington County Election Director Dorothy Kaetzel said Wednesday. Voters told election judges, as poll workers in Maryland are called, that they were comfortable using the touch-screen machines to cast their ballots, Kaetzel said. The Washington County Board of Elections conducted an aggressive voter-education campaign demonstrating the new voting machines to at least 75 area groups.

laurae@herald-mail.com Washington County election officials are recruiting additional poll workers to guide voters through the use of new touch-screen voting booths next year. Election Director Dorothy Kaetzel said about 100 workers will be needed in addition to the 350 usually on duty. An additional person will be needed at the sign-in table to encode cards that voters will insert into touch-screen computers. At least one more poll worker will be needed to answer questions about the electronic voting booths, she said.

Legislature passes bills that impact local area Some bills of local interest that passed the Maryland General Assembly this session: UNDERCOVER PURCHASES - Lets Washington County police agencies make secret purchases for undercover investigations. Right now, investigators must seek bids for purchases over $25,000. PRIME OUTLETS - Allows Prime Outlets at Hagerstown to hold the same type of sidewalk exhibitions as Valley Mall. FIREFIGHTER TAX CREDIT - Authorizes the Washington County Commissioners to offer a property tax credit to fire and rescue volunteers.