Bonnie’s 2016 General Election Recommendations

Dear Friends,

Delegate Cullison and her wife pose in front of an early voting center

Early voting has begun and I, like thousands of voters in Montgomery County, have cast my 2016 ballot. If you have not already, I would encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to vote on your own schedule and at a location that is convenient to you.

There are 10 early voting sites and they are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m from now until November 3rd. To find the Early Voting Center that would work best for you, go to http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Elections/Information/EarlyVoting.html

With this message I am providing you with my recommendations for your consideration. I begin with the ballot questions, then give Board of Education recommendations and then the federal races. I chose this order because I wanted to start with the non-partisan races. I suspect my recommendations on the federal level will not be a surprise to anyone. On the judicial races, I would recommend affirming those running for re-election.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope that at least some of this information might be helpful as you make your final decisions. Please contact me if you have questions. Most of all thank you for participating in this keystone of our democracy—the elections.

Best wishes,

Bonnie

Bonnie’s 2016 Picks

Question 1 · Appointments and Special Elections for Attorney General and Comptroller

Recommendation—For the Constitutional Amendment

This change would amend the Maryland Constitution to would assure that the party affiliation of two executive offices would be maintained if there is a vacancy. It means that for the offices of the Attorney General or the Comptroller, the Governor must appoint a person of the same political party as the person who left the vacancy. It would also require a special election if the vacancy occurs with more than two years left in the term.

Question A – Charter Amendment by Act of County Council County Executive Vacancy – Special Election

Recommendation—For

This change would amend the County Charter to allow the County Council to provide for a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of County Executive. Currently if such a vacancy occurs, it is filled by appointment as a result of a vote of the nine-member County Council. Having a special election would give the voters the right to choose the person who fills this important—and powerful—County position.

Question B – Charter Amendment by Petition Term Limits – County Council and County Executive

Recommendation—Against

This change would set term limits of three consecutive terms for all County Council members and the County Executive. This change is not necessary for Montgomery County; there is a history of the voters not re-electing incumbents who have not met the requirements of the office. It addition, it sets up the possibility of having much less experienced individuals in office that would lend itself to more staff control and less accountability for the elected official, especially in his/her third term.

Question C – Charter Amendment by Act of County Council Term of Office – County Council and County Executive – Partial Service of a Full Term

Recommendation—For

This change would amend the County Charter to define a partial service of a full term for either a Councilmember or the County Executive as service of more than two years of a term. This amendment is needed if Question B passes. The way the Question B is currently written, if a person filled a vacancy in the last month of a term, it would count as a full term for the purposes of term limits. Question C would change that to say that only if a person served 2 or more years would it count as a full term.

Board of Education Races:

These races are non-partisan and every voter in the county can vote for each of these three seats. I know all of these three individuals well and have observed their commitment to hard work in order to provide the skilled staffing, the curriculum and the infrastructure so that every child reaches his or her potential in our schools.

Shebra Evans

Phil Kaufman

Rebecca Smondrowski

Federal Elections

These races have partisan context and I suspect that there are no surprises in my recommendations. However, I can say very sincerely that I support each of these candidates not just because they are Democrats, but because they share my values and beliefs about the role of government to serve the people.

President:

Hillary Clinton—I believe that she is by far the most qualified candidate that has run for this office in my lifetime and she has demonstrated her commitment to raising the standard of life all Americans in effective ways—including by working across party lines

Senate:

Chris Van Hollen—I have worked closely with Chris for 20 years; his constituent service is unmatched; he is perhaps the most skilled elected official in office; he sets high goals for policies and then works tirelessly and strategically to get them passed

Congressional District 3

John Sarbanes—since I have been in office, John has always been there if I needed support for constituents; he regularly attends events and meetings with people in his district and not only listens, but works to address issues

Congressional District 6

John Delaney—in his 4 years in office, John is a leader who has always reached out to the state and local elected officials for input and feedback; he is easily accessible and looks for innovative solutions to old issues

Congressional District 8

Jamie Raskin—I have worked with Jamie as a State Senator and admire his willingness to take on tough issues; I was grateful for his support to get the overall of the Maryland Public Information Act passed

How to Reach Me

If you have a concern or issue, or an idea about legislation you would like to discuss with me, please do not hesitate to contact me at my office, 301-858-3883, orbonnie.cullison@house.state.md.us. We are not in the office in Annapolis every day until session, beginning on January 11, but we are checking voicemail and email often.