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Furthermore, I would submit that there
is possibly a difference in Baltimore City.
I do not know specifically how they carry
on elections in Baltimore City. I am told
that it is different.
Certainly, conditions there appear to be
different. Whether this is because Balti-
more City people are more sophisticated,
whether they are more advanced in their
politics, I do not know, but it is possible
they can have a yearly election in Balti-
more City.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-quar-
ter minute, Delegate Miller.
DELEGATE B. MILLER: Speaking for
ourselves, other parts of the State, I can
find no advocacy for the off-year elections
and I would urge that we do not adopt
them.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Schloeder.
DELEGATE SCHLOEDER: Mr. Chair-
man, at this time the Committee yields
three minutes to Delegate Needle.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Needle.
DELEGATE NEEDLE: Mr. Chairman,
as a member of the Local Government
Committee, I have been committed while
here in Annapolis to the proposition of
creating more viable and visible local gov-
ernments.
I call your attention to the overwhelm-
ing support that you gave the Committee
Recommendation LG-1, which passed
through this body with unprecedented
speed.
That indicates your strong feeling about
the creation of more viable county govern-
ments. I submit that the majority recom-
mendation of the Suffrage and Elections
Committee creating separate elections for
county governments is a concomitant to
LG-1 and a very essential element for you
to pass in order to create those more vi-
able county governments.
Point three, on page three and point five
on page four of the Minority Report
S & E-2(A) on this subject matter points
out that the people just do not seem to be
very interested in local issues and local
candidates. How do they propose that we
solve the problem which is created by vir-
tue of county officials and issues being dis-
cussed and voted upon at the same time
state issues are — which is the present
system. They want us to retain the present
system. How in the world does that solve
the problem?
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I submit that that is the best argument
for change. To have separate county elec-
tions is the way to focus attention and to
place the spotlight on county issues and
county candidates. We all know it is diffi-
cult to get information now on local candi-
dates and local issues under the present
system because the mass media naturally
give the bulk of their attention to federal
issues and candidates and state issues and
candidates. Why relegate the local issues
and candidates to an inferior position by
making them run along with state officials?
Separate elections for the county is very
likely to increase voter participation at
each level, especially the local level, as is
indicated by the Baltimore City experience.
Baltimore City apparently feels very
strongly that they should retain their pres-
ent system of having their separate elec-
tions without being encumbered by electing
officials at any other level of government
at the same time. The minority wants to
make a special exception for Baltimore
City. What is good for Baltimore City, and
it has proved good for Baltimore City,
should certainly be good for the local
county governments as well.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-quar-
ter minute, Delegate Needle.
DELEGATE NEEDLE: We should not
make a special exception for the govern-
ment of Baltimore City. The local govern-
ment article said Baltimore City from now
on would be considered a county. Therefore,
all counties should have their elections at
the same time as Baltimore City in a sepa-
rate year.
I strongly urge you to support the Ma-
jority Report and defeat this amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Byrnes.
DELEGATE BYRNES: Mr. Chairman,
I would like to yield three minutes to
Delegate Cardin.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Cardin.
DELEGATE CARDIN: Mr. Chairman,
fellow delegates: I will not speak to the
merits of the exception in the minority
amendment. I would prefer to speak to the
merits of the frequency of elections as we
recommended which is only every two
years.
The testimony that was brought before
us and witnesses who spoke to us were al-
most unanimous in stating that the less
frequent the election, the greater the turn-
out at the election. The Maryland Associa-
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