Campaigning from West Ocean City to Snow Hill, to Pocomoke City, to Salisbury, to Berlin, to Ocean Pines, I’m putting a lot of miles on my car. As you can see by the above map, District 38B is one of the largest legislative districts in Maryland, by land area.
I’m grateful that we still have lots of wide open farmland and water, here on the Lower Eastern Shore, at the somewhat isolated southeastern corner of the great state of Maryland. One of my goals in running for House of Delegates is to keep it that way (open country that is, not necessarily isolated).
Recent numbers show Democrats continuing to hold the lead in voter registration in District 38B, which is all of Worcester County and the northern and eastern portions of Wicomico County. This will come as no surprise to anyone who grew up in Maryland. People on Maryland’s Eastern Shore have a long tradition of being Democrats.
A candidate for Wicomico County Council recently told the following story. It’s available on You Tube. When he was a child, he asked his grandfather, who was an Eastern Shore farmer, why he was a Democrat. His grandfather said, “Because Democrats are for the people.” If you’re not from Maryland, you might not understand. It’s an Eastern Shore thing. (Although as you can see by the map, Republicans have picked up a lot of strength in the central part of the Eastern Shore, which was once solidly Democratic. Nevertheless, we still have plenty of Democrats in those areas.)
As of Aug. 16, the Worcester County Board of Elections reports:
- Democrats, 19,412
- Republicans, 16,541
- Unaffiliated, 6,615
- Total, not including insignificant minor parties, 36,568
And in the District 38B portion of Wicomico County, the Wicomico Election Board’s numbers as of June 1 are:
- Democrats, 8,658
- Republicans, 7,634
- Unaffiliated, 3,009
- Total, not including minor parties, 19,301
The Democratic Candidates
Rep. Frank Kratovil
Instant analysis: Some people are under the delusion that District 38 leans slightly Republican. The map and the numbers tell a different story. It’s not a coincidence that our Eastern Shore Congressman, Rep. Frank Kratovil, is a Democrat, and both delegates presently representing District 38B are Democrats. They are Del. Jim Mathias and Del. Norm Conway.
Del. Mathias is running for the State Senate, and he is without a doubt the candidate most able and most well-prepared to represent the Lower Eastern Shore in the Senate. Jim Mathias, a conservative Democrat, is going to be the next state senator from the Lower Eastern Shore, and that is a very good thing.
Mathias
Three Democrats and four Republicans are running for the two House of Delegates seats in 38B. The three Democrats are the incumbent, Del. Norm Conway, of Salisbury; Gee Williams, of Berlin; and me, John Hayden, of West Ocean City.
Conway
The Democratic edge in voter registration is significant in 38B, but not overwhelming. The number of independents, or unaffiliated, as we call them in Maryland, is relatively small, compared to some other places. But there are certainly enough unaffiliated voters to swing an election either way. And it is worth pointing out that Republicans sometimes have a higher percentage turnout than Democrats.
Unaffiliated voters fall into two groups. You have those who value their political independence and take it seriously; and those who are simply not interested in politics.
Hayden
The takeaway: When Democrats turn out to vote in District 38B, Democrats win. There are enough unaffiliated voters to turn a close election to either party. I believe that the unaffiliated voters tend to vote for the best candidates, regardless of party.
Both parties will select their two nominees for House of Delegates in the September primaries. Voter registration will be reopened after the September primary so more new voters can register before the general election in November.
I would hazard a guess that in this year of uncertainty, any two of the Democratic hopefuls in District 38B will have more credibility and more real-world savvy than any two of the Republican hopefuls. That’s my opinion. Considering that I’ve been a registered Democrat in Maryland since I was old enough to vote, my opinion is not exactly unbiased.
Many issues are up for debate between now and November, and there’s plenty of time for any of the candidates to demonstrate their grasp of the issues. I have a feeling the voters will be watching closely.
Voter Registration Deadline
The deadline to register to vote in the September Democratic or Republican primary elections is fast approaching. The deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 24. To find out if you’re already registered, and to find out how to register (it’s easy), go to the Maryland Elections Center Web site.
Note that only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary election in September, and only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary election in September. If you’re registered independent or unaffiliated and you want to vote in one of the primaries, you can change your affiliation to either Democratic, or Republican. It’s your choice! The deadline for changing your party affiliation is also Tuesday, Aug. 24. I invite you to join the majority of your Eastern Shore neighbors by registering in the Democratic Party!
Every registered voter, Democratic, Republican or Unaffiliated, may vote for any candidate and any party of their choosing in the November General Elections. Registering Democratic or Republican does not in any way limit your right to vote for YOUR candidates or your party in November.
– John Hayden
Thanks to The Daily Times in Salisbury for running the following item Friday in a prominent position at the top of the op-ed page (09-10-10, page A15). Thanks to my neighbor, Judy Davis, for the vote of confidence, and thanks to The Times for the generous headline, which I’m using as the headline for this post.
