General Election

Anyone looking for a theme from Tuesday's primary vote in Carroll County better keep looking. It is possible that the light turnout -- 43 percent of the registered Republicans and 38 percent of the Democrats even bothered -- muddled the message. It is also possible that a great deal of unfocused anger at public officials manifested itself in strange ways.Voters are apparently ready to end Thomas E. Hickman's contentious career as state's attorney. After four terms, they seem to have given the GOP nomination to Jerry F. Barnes by the narrowest of margins.

Laurel's Board of Election Supervisors is looking for city residents to serve as election day judges for the city's general election Nov. 1. Board officials have said that they prefer judges who have prior experience, but that experience as an election day judge is not necessary. Interested residents should send a resume or letter of interest to Kimberley Rau, clerk to the Board of Election Supervisors. For more information about serving as a Laurel election day judge, call 301-725-5300, ext. 2121 or email krau@laurel.md.us .

I am certain that the staff in Obama headquarters in Chicago were euphoric after Rick Santorum's primary and caucus victories Tuesday in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. They may hardly have to use their expected $1 billion campaign war chest as the Republican Party continues to implode. It is possible the social conservatives' and the tea party's dislike of Mitt Romney will force him to move so far to the right that independents and moderate Republicans will not be able to vote for him in the general election, thus ensuring President Obama's victory.

I was appalled after reading your editorial "Get out the vote" (Sept. 15). While you are welcome to blame low voter turnout on anything you wish, when you refer to Baltimore's general election as pointless, a line has been crossed. I shouldn't need to remind you that people have been fighting and dying in this country for more than 200 years for the right to hold free elections in a free society. To say make such a statement is shameful. You owe all veterans an apology. Gary Smith

Baltimore County Council contender Julian Jones will run as a write-in candidate in the November general election after losing the primary to two-term Councilman Kenneth Oliver by 98 votes. Jones had considered requesting a recount over the last few weeks but decided against it because of the expense and concerns over the process. He said that he was encouraged to continue fighting for the District 4 seat by residents and supporters. "It's clear if you look at the returns that people were definitely looking for a change," Jones said.

The War Memorial Building, the scene of many an election-night drama, will return as the site where the public can get the latest results.The city Board of Supervisors of Elections decided yesterday to use the War Memorial as headquarters for next year's municipal elections after the board's cramped new quarters were the scene of confusion and chaos on this year's primary election night.The decision came during a meeting called by Gene M. Raynor, state administrator of elections, to review problems with the city vote count on Sept.

The dean of Maryland's congressional delegation, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, endorsed Rep. Donna Edwards for reelection on Thursday, the first high-profile endorsement in a primary race that, so far, has mostly taken place behind the scenes. "She is part of the new generation of women in Congress who are coming into their own in a new way for a new day -- claiming their power to empower others," Mikulski said of her fellow Democrat in a statement released by the Edwards campaign.

With no opposition and few questions during its first hearing, legislation that would change the year of Baltimore's mayoral primary election appears to have won a warm reception in Annapolis. House Bill 782, heard yesterday in the Commerce and Government Matters Committee, would change the city's primary election to coincide with the presidential vote. Baltimore voters passed a referendum in November to move the general election from odd-number years to the same even-number years that presidential races are held.

QUESTION: Why does Baltimore's loopy election schedule (which would have voters making primary choices 14 months before the next general election) have anything to do with the ridiculous size of the City Council? Answer: Because the legislature says it does. That may be a political retort, rather than a logical one -- but it reflects a reality that City Council President Sheila Dixon and her colleagues have no choice but to accept. They can't win a fight with Annapolis over either issue, so the smart thing to do would be to capitulate on both and spare themselves (and the city)

OpinionWorks completed 798 telephone interviews Oct. 15-20 among likely general election voters across Maryland. According to customary statistical standards, this sample produces a margin of error of no more than 3.5 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. This means that 95 percent of the time, the "true" figure would fall within this range if every likely general election voter in Maryland had been interviewed. Margin of sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error in this or any other public opinion survey.