(1/25) With the start of a new year, a new election season also begins. Taneytown residents will have a chance to say something about who they want on their City Council, as there are three open Council seats in this election: Councilwoman Diane Foster’s, Councilwoman Judith Fuller’s and Councilwoman Elizabeth Chaney’s. Mayor Christopher Miller, Mayor Pro Tem James McCarron and Councilman Christopher Tillman will remain on the Council until their terms finish.
Before the actual election on May fifth, there are other necessary requirements that must be fulfilled. It takes months of planning to get these requirements completed, thus why the Council is starting as early as January.
According to the City’s Attorney Jay Gullo, the City must have a fully staffed election board well in advance of the actual election. This is necessary to allow the board time to approve the financial disclosure forms of the potential candidates before any of the candidates are certified as official candidates. The board needs new appointments because many of the current members have already resigned or their terms have expired and they need to be re-appointed. Four people were nominated and approved to serve on the election board for a 2-year term, 2025 to 2027: Michelle Harris, Alex Kelly, Ruth Gwyn and Janice Hill.
The Ethics Commission must also be fully staffed and is critical later in the election process. Their duties include maintaining records and financial disclosure forms in the years following an election. Robert Hill was nominated into the Ethics Commission at the January meeting to join already existing members.
Gullo also pointed out the need for the current Council to begin work on the new City budget as soon as possible. Typically, budgets are approved before a new Council takes office so as not to have new members voting on something they are not familiar with. The Council’s goal is to finish and approve the fiscal year 25/26 well before the new commissioners are sworn in.
City Clerk Clara Kalman outlined the expected timeline for the election process. Candidate nomination forms will be available beginning February 18th and must be submitted by March 24th. The certification of candidates will be scheduled for April 7th and all residents must register with Carroll County election board no later than April 7th in order to vote in this election.
Election day will be May 5th at the Taneytown police station, with polls open from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening.
