The Howard County Central Committee is looking for Republicans registered in Howard County who would be interested in serving on the Howard County Board of Elections. The job would entail attending Board meetings on the fourth Monday of each month at 4 pm, attending their state conference once a year, serving all day (and night) on election day as well as during the canvas, to count the votes, serving on three other days following the election, and performing various other duties.  The candidate should have some working knowledge of the election day process and of canvassing, and be able to serve in a nonpartisan position.  They cannot be a candidate for office, or a member of a candidate’s campaign.  

Those that wish to apply should contact Laura Walsh at walshwoman@comcast.net to express their interest.  They should include a short bio of themselves and be able to attend the Central Committee meeting December 11th at 6:30.

Superintendent Martirano’s much-discussed redistricting plan has been touted by supporters as addressing wealth-based inequalities between Howard County Schools while at the same time relieving overcrowding. But Polygon 147, which houses the desirable (and overcrowded) Centennial High School, is not slated by this plan to be redistricted. Prior to the election of County Executive Calvin Ball, whose allies overwhelmingly and publicly support Martirano’s plan, Polygon 147 was intended to be moved to Wilde Lake High School’s district. That changed when, with Ball’s election, an existing redistricting plan was scrapped in favor of the current, allegedly more progressive, plan. Clarksville resident Steven Keller and a team of concerned citizens have assembled a document which shows a surprising money trail in connection to Polygon 147. A money trail that may lead outside Howard County.

Maryland Democrats in the General Assembly have rushed through a pair of bills which they say will “transform Maryland’s… education system to the levels of the highest-performing systems…” The price tag? $1,000,000,000 taxpayer dollars.

The bills, (SB 1030 / HB 1413) known as the “Kirwan Blueprint Bill,” or “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future,” implements recommendations of the Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, providing grants to students living in areas with a “concentration of poverty,” providing grants for teachers, and establishing an office of State Inspector General for Education. In addition, the House and Senate Bills provide state assistance to counties who commit to fund teacher salaries at an amount higher than that stipulated in their contracts.

Following the untimely death of Representative Elijah Cummings, federal law specifies that Governor Larry Hogan must announce, within ten days, both a special primary and a special general election for the vacant seat in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District. The primary will follow at least 65 days after the issuance of Governor Hogan’s proclamation. The general election will follow at least 65 days after the primary.

Two Maryland Republicans had already declared their candidacy for the seat: William T. Newton and Reba Hawkins. Additional candidates may still file. The Republican Central Committee will post updates and deadlines after Governor Hogan’s statement is issued.