Village Election Primer

Below is a list of candidates and election information for the upcoming Columbia village board elections. Elections will be held on Saturday, April 21.

Dorsey’s Search

Candidates:

Village Board (three seats, uncontested) – Diane Turner, Robert Sims

Other Votes – Two changes to the village by-laws that would allow the board of directors to appoint nominees to the Columbia Council and the Village Board if not enough candidates run.

Also, Dorsey’s Search will be hosting a shredding truck from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 21. The Village Facebook page invites residents to “come vote and shred!!”

Voting Location: Linden Hall (4765 Dorsey Hall Drive, Ellicott City)

Polls open: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Harper’s Choice

Candidates:

Village Board (three seats, contested) – Claire Albert, Clare Brooks, Alicia Kong and Martha Szollos

Voting Location: Kahler Hall (5440 Old Tucker Row, Columbia)

Polls open: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hickory Ridge

Candidates:

Village Board (five seats, contested) - Linda Hitzelberger, Tom Louden, John Bailey, Michelle Wood, Miles Coffman and Robert O’Brien

CA Board – Gregg M. Schwind

Candidates’ statements

Other votes: A ballot question to allow the elimination of a village election if there are no contested seats.

Voting Location: Hawthorn Center (6175 Sunny Spring, Columbia)

Polls open: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kings Contrivance

Candidates:

Village Board (three seats, uncontested) - Fred Niziol, Brian Dunn and Marguerite Walsh

Candidates’ statements

Other Votes: Children under 18 are encouraged to vote for the animal the Kings Contrivance Community Association will adopt from the Maryland Zoo.

Voting Location: Amherst Hall (7251 Eden Brook Drive, Columbia)

Polls open: April 20 5 to 7 p.m., April 21 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Long Reach

Candidates:

Village Board (three seats, uncontested) – Karen Hitcho, Josh Friedman, one seat open

Candidates’ statements

Other Votes: Amendment to the by-laws to allow payments up to $1,000 require only the signature of the Association Manager. Currently any payment over $500 must be signed by the Manager and countersigned by one Director of the Association.

Voting Location: Stonehouse (8775 Cloudleap Court, Columbia)

Polls open: 9:30 a.m. to noon

Oakland Mills

Candidates:

Village Board (eight seats, none contested) – Jervis Dorton, William Gray, Kristin Huza, Brian Donoughe, Reginald Avery, Margaret Mauro, Phil Engelke, one seat open

CA Board – Alex Hekimian

Candidates’ statements

Voting Location: The Other Barn (5851 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia)

Polls open: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., also an annual plant sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Owen Brown

No contested elections - Andrew C. Stack appointed to CA Board and Pearl Atkinson-Stewart and Katharyn Sunderman appointed to Village Board, due to by-laws. Owen Brown by-laws state if the elections are uncontested, qualified nominees will be automatically appointed.

River Hill

Candidates:

Village Board (four seats, uncontested) – Dengfeng Liu, Dipper Wettstein, Liyan Zhang, one seat open.

The Village Board will be accepting letters of interest for the last seat on the Village Board until April 30, after that they will appoint a candidate. More info available in The Villager.

Voting Location: Claret Hall (6020 Dabreak Circle, Clarksville)

Polls open: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Town Center

Candidates:

Village Board (two seats, contested) – Mohan Ray, Helen Ruther, Linda Wengel

Candidates’ statements

CA Board – Suzanne Waller, re-elected due to uncontested election

Voting Location: Historic Oakland Manor (5430 Vantage Point Road, Columbia)

Polls open: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wilde Lake

Candidates:

Village Board (five seats, uncontested) – Rhoda Toback, Joyce Ardo, Lawrence Schoen, Nancy McCord, Linda Odum

CA Board –  Regina Clay

Candidates’ statements

Voting Location: Slayton House (10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia)

Polls open: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.