Cowger Opts Against Another Commissioner Run

BERLIN – Nine candidates
for Worcester County Commissioner have filed to run as of June 10, with three
more slated to file in the next week.

Those who wish to run
for office must file their candidacy by July 6. The primary will be held Sept.
14. The general election will take place Nov. 2.

All seven commissioner
seats are up for re-election in the fall. Just two sitting county commissioners
have filed to run for re-election as of June 10: Commissioner Jim Purnell
(District 2) and Commissioner Judy Boggs (District 5).

District 1, the Pocomoke
City area, saw two candidates file to run this week for the seat being vacated
by Commissioner Bobby Cowger, who will not seek another term. Democrat Jimmy
Schoolfield and Republican Merrill Lockfaw will fight for Cowger’s seat.

Sitting District 3
Commissioner Bud Church plans to run for re-election today, he said, casting
aside encouragement that he vie for a House of Delegates seat.

One candidate has filed
in District 4 so far. Democrat Tommy Tucker will seek the seat currently held
by Democrat Commissioner Virgil Shockley, who said last week he would seek
another term.

District 2, 5 and 6 will
also see challengers face off with the incumbent in the September primary.

Purnell will face former
NAACP President Ed Lee in the District 2 Democratic primary.

Boggs will face Bob
Thompson in the Republican primary. At this point, the victor will go on to
face Democrat John Bodnar.

Commissioner Linda
Busick, District 6 incumbent, will run, she reaffirmed this week.

“I will probably file
Tuesday,” said Busick. “I definitely am running.”

Busick will face
Republican challenger Jim Bunting in September’s primary.

Longtime District 7
Commissioner Louise Gulyas will seek re-election. “Yes, I’m running,” Gulyas
said this week. She plans to file June 11. Despite the rumor mill, Ocean City
Councilman Jim Hall has made it known he will not run for the District 7
commissioner seat this year.

Several other offices
are at stake in the 2010 election.

Beau Oglesby will make
another attempt at derailing Worcester County State’s Attorney Joel Todd.

Incumbent Stephen V.
Hales has filed to run for Clerk of the Circuit Court. Incumbent Charlotte
Cathell is seeking the Register of Wills post once again. Democrats Bill
Shockley and Dale Smack, along with Republican Linda Hess, will seek Judge of
the Orphans Court slots. 

Worcester County will
have a new sheriff this year, with current Sheriff Chuck Martin leaving office
for health reasons. Three candidates are planning to take a shot at the
county’s top law enforcement post: Republican Reggie Mason and Democrats Bobby
Brittingham and Carroll Overholt.

All four seats on the
Worcester County Board of Education up for election this year will be sought by
incumbents: Doug Dryden (District 1), Donnie Shockley (District 4), Bob Hulburd
(District 6), and Bob Rothermel (District 7). 

While there is only one
minor change in a single polling place, from the Ocean Pines Country Club back
to the Ocean Pines Community Hall, all county voters will have a new way to
cast a ballot.

Early voting will be
available for several days prior to each election in a central location. Early
voting for the primary will be available from Sept. 3-9, except on Sunday, at
the Gull Creek Senior Living Center, in Berlin. Early voting polls will be open
between 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Early voting for the general election will be held Oct.
22-28, except that Sunday, also at Gull Creek, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.