Council Candidates

Democratic candidates in three Baltimore County Council races have raised about half their money in events held for them by two lawyers who work for land developers, a phenomenon their opponents say shows special interests have too much influence in local elections. Campaign finance reports for Tom Quirk of District 1, Gordon Harden of District 5 and Cathy Bevins of District 6 show that each benefited substantially from a separate fundraiser held last fall by lawyers David Gildea and Michael Paul Smith.

Two Baltimore City Council candidates were poised to overcome write-in challenges Tuesday, converting their Democratic nominations into general election victories. Councilman Warren Branch of the 13th District was leading write-in challenger Shannon Sneed, widening a margin of victory from the September primary. Meanwhile, political newcomer Nick Mosby appeared to have turned back a write-in challenge from incumbent Councilwoman Belinda Conaway, whom he defeated in the 7th District's Democratic primary.

Most Howard County Council candidates are hoping to raise between $35,000 and $50,000 for this year's election, but several have barely begun, according to state campaign finance reports. With more than five months remaining before the campaign's official start in July, school board member Courtney Watson, a Democrat, is leading the field of council candidates with $36,043 in the bank Jan. 11, the end of the yearlong reporting period. Watson is running in District 1, covering the northeastern county, for the seat now held by Republican Christopher J. Merdon.

Thank you very much for all of the support and encouragement that I received during the past month during my run for Council at-large seat on the city of Laurel Council. I truly appreciate every vote across both Ward 1 and Ward 2 in support of my candidacy. I was also impressed with the voter turnout, which in previous years was somewhat disappointing. While I was unsuccessful in my first bid for elected office I learned a lot about the political process. I would like to thank every last person who sacrificed their time by helping me hold signs, educate residents and spend countless hours knocking on doors speaking to residents in our community.

The Town Center Community Association will hold a candidates forum at 7: 30 p.m. Monday in the Vantage House auditorium, 5400 Vantage Point Road. Dennis Lane, Donna Rice and Suzanne Walker are candidates for the Columbia Council representative seat. Gwendolyn Christopher and Brian White are candidates for the two available seats on the Town Center Village Board. Information: 410-730-4744.

The Manchester Board of Elections Supervisors may hold a public forum to allow Town Council members to interview candidates for the council vacancy, Town Manager Terry L. Short said yesterday.The town charter gives council members the duty of choosing a person to fill a midterm council vacancy.The four remaining council members have voted six times in three council meetings in an effort to fill the seat of former Councilman John A. Riley, who resigned Oct. 12. Each of the six ballots produced a 2-2 vote.

The four Town Council candidates in Mount Airy's May 1 election are divided on the issue of growth. In the nonpartisan election, two of the candidates support the town's recent annexation of a Frederick County farm, while two oppose the measure. The candidates for two seats on the Mount Airy council are: Chris DeColli As the only incumbent candidate, DeColli has a four-year record. He stresses his family and community ties: soccer coach, PTA volunteer. DeColli, 36, said he considers how the council votes will affect the welfare of his wife and three daughters.

In a Canton auditorium in Baltimore's 1st Councilmanic District last night, residents heard the opinions of all nine men hoping to win their votes in the September City Council primaries.The audience talked about a need for stricter housing codes, a greater police presence on the streets and improvements to the Eastern Avenue business corridor. The audience said that booming waterfront development is deteriorating the quality of life of Fells Point and Canton and that spiraling property taxes are forcing many homeowners out of Baltimore.

With voices raised against corporate welfare and one-party rule, the Baltimore Green Party held its first convention in the city yesterday, attracting about 100 people to a library basement to nominate eight candidates for City Council. "The members of the City Council of Baltimore City ... should be on the streets of Washington demanding our money back, and demanding that the billions of dollars of federal money that go ... into the black hole of military spending be used instead for the health, education, transportation and general welfare of our citizens," said Dr. Terrence T. Fitzgerald, a physician nominated to run for the council's 5th District in Northwest Baltimore.

In the city's northeast corner, the 3rd, 4th and 14th City Council districts comprise the stately neighborhoods of Guilford and Homeland, the campuses of Morgan State University, the Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College, and business districts along Harford and York roads. Like council candidates throughout the city, office-seekers in these districts promise to be tough on crime and improve the city's struggling schools, hoping to keep homeowners from moving across the county line.

At a time when campaigns in Baltimore usually are over, candidates in two City Council races are spending thousands of dollars battling to win the Nov. 8 general election. In East Baltimore's 13th District, Councilman Warren Branch has spent more than $33,000 since the Sept. 13 primary defending his seat from write-in challenger Shannon Sneed, who lost to him by 43 votes. The money is more than the $26,000 Branch spent in the entire year before the primary, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday and made public Monday.

Recently the Laurel Board of Trade hosted a meet-and-greet session with the candidates for city of Laurel. During that meeting Council President Mike Leszcz who is running for candidate-at-large defended the mayor and city of Laurel Council's position for nonsupport of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club by stating that the club needs to conduct independent audits and additionally the mayor and city of Laurel Council is concerned about where the more than...

The Roosevelt Recreation Center on Aug. 23 looked like a voting precinct on Election Day. Although the Democratic and Republican primaries aren't until Sept. 13 and Roosevelt isn't a voting place, it was the center of attention - and campaign signs - for candidates running for mayor, City Council president and council seats in the 7th, 12th and 14th Districts, which represent parts of Hampden, Remington and Charles Village. Twenty candidates, including one each from the Libertarian and Green parties, descended on the rec center at the corner of Falls Road and 36th Street for the Hampden Community Council's annual "Candidates' Night Out" forum.

Last week, I filed a request with the Campaign Finance Division of the State Board of Elections to prevent Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. from participating in the current election as a member of a campaign "slate. " Members of a slate are allowed to transfer an unlimited amount of money from one campaign to another if both campaigns are members of the same slate. Friends of Jim Smith, the outgoing county executive's campaign finance account, last reported nearly $1 million in cash on hand.

Wednesday's editorial ("Buying influence?," September 7) made an important and valid point about the potentially troublesome role of money in today's political campaigns. And I agree wholeheartedly that as they educate themselves about candidates and issues, voters should review and consider the sources of candidates' campaign contributions. I was disappointed, though, that The Sun supported the theme by recycling as news a nine-month-old story from the Patuxent papers ("Balto.

Nine months ago, Bryan P. Sears of the Towson Times broke an eyebrow-raising story: Two Baltimore County development attorneys — one the son of term-limited County Executive James T. Smith Jr. and the other one of Mr. Smith's former law clerks — had selected candidates to back in three separate County Council races and had held high-dollar fundraisers for them. Now, with the Democratic primary less than a week away, it's worth revisiting that report to see exactly how much impact the efforts of Michael Paul Smith and David Gildea have had on what is shaping up to be the council's biggest makeover in nearly two decades.

Annapolis residents going to the polls for primary elections Tuesday will choose among the most diverse field of candidates in the city's history. Neither mayoral candidate faces an opponent in the primaries. Mayor Ellen O. Mayor, a Democrat, and Alderman George O. Kelley Sr., a Republican, will appear alone on their respective party ballots. They will vie in a three-way race with Independent Gilbert T. Renaut in the general election Nov. 8. But the city has eight wards, and in four of them, city council candidates will square off. There will be Democratic primaries in three wards and Republican primaries in two wards.

To keep up with the city campaigns, read short biographies of the candidates for mayor and City Council president, and see a list of the council candidates, go to baltimoresun.com/electionsblog

Democratic candidates in three Baltimore County Council races have raised about half their money in events held for them by two lawyers who work for land developers, a phenomenon their opponents say shows special interests have too much influence in local elections. Campaign finance reports for Tom Quirk of District 1, Gordon Harden of District 5 and Cathy Bevins of District 6 show that each benefited substantially from a separate fundraiser held last fall by lawyers David Gildea and Michael Paul Smith.

Republican National Party Chairman Michael S. Steele smiled broadly as he pressed the flesh Tuesday night in the large study of businessman J.P. Bolduc's 8,077-square-foot Clarksville mansion, where he was the guest of honor for a fundraiser to benefit Dennis R. Schrader's County Council campaign. A reporter was asked to leave the premises after getting that one glimpse, though Schrader and others who attended said Wednesday that Steele's comments were ordinary campaign fare. Steele had insisted the event be private, Schrader said.