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Harford County elections director objects to language in Havre de Grace elections ordinance
Summary
Harford County Board of Elections Director Stephanie Taylor told the Havre de Grace council she supports municipalities but objects to language in draft Ordinance 12‑11 that would reference the county board in the city charter; she asked the council to remove those references and noted state law requirements for municipal precinct registers.
Stephanie Taylor, director of the Harford County Board of Elections, told the Havre de Grace mayor and city council during a public hearing on Ordinance 12‑11 that the county office has historically provided certain municipal election services at no cost but cannot be bound by city charter language.
"The BOE has always fully support our municipalities whenever we can," Taylor said, and she cited state law requiring that the county provide a paper precinct register at no cost. She said House Bill 322 allows the State Board of Elections to enter memoranda of understanding to lease equipment to municipalities, and that recent guidance from the state administrator changed how the office will treat supplies and labor costs.
Taylor asked the council to remove language that would require the Harford County Board of Elections to be "in consultation with" or to perform canvass functions in sections 61.7 and 61.11 of the proposed Chapter 61 (Elections). "It is not our responsibility to canvass the ballots. We assist you when we can," she said. Taylor added that when municipal election dates overlap with statewide or federal elections, the county may not always be able to provide the same level of assistance.
Why it matters: The council opened the public hearing to amend the city’s election code; Taylor’s comments flag a possible conflict between the city’s draft charter language and the operational responsibilities of the Harford County Board of Elections under state law. The director asked the city to avoid wording that would appear to bind the county office to duties it has not agreed to perform.
The hearing record shows Taylor provided her name and office for the record and asked the council to revise the ordinance language; no final council action on Ordinance 12‑11 was recorded in the meeting minutes. The council moved on to the regular agenda after the public hearing concluded.
