Bel Air lone incumbent likely voted out; Aberdeen may return three of four City Council members

The unofficial tallies from Tuesday’s elections forecast three new members for the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners, while three of the four current City Council members are leading in Aberdeen.

In Bel Air, four candidates were vying for three open seats on the Board of Town Commissioners.

The unofficial vote leaders are Steven T. Chizmar with 978 votes; Jakob D. Taylor, 908; James B. Rutledge III, 905 and Erin S. Hughes, 278.

Chizmar is a Bel Air native who worked for more than 40 years at Aberdeen Proving Ground before retiring. He has served on the town’s historic preservation commission and ethics board.

Taylor, who is 20, was the youngest candidate in this year’s race. He is a political science student at Loyola University and works as a legislative aide for Republican state Sen. Jason Gallion. Taylor said he decided to run after the town denied a citizens’ petition for referendum regarding the development of five downtown properties.

Rutledge, who appears to have won the final seat, is a Harford County native whose law firm is in downtown Bel Air. He is a member of the Harford County Historical Society.

Erin Hughes, the only incumbent in the race, is a distant fourth.

The canvass of provisional and absentee ballots in Bel Air is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. at Bel Air Town Hall. If additional absentee ballots arrive in the mail after the initial canvass, a second canvass is scheduled for Nov. 17. Results will not be made official until canvassing is completed.

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Voters arrive to participate in Aberdeen's municipal election at Aberdeen Activity Center on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. (Brian Krista/The Aegis)

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In Aberdeen, Mayor Patrick McGrady ran unopposed, while there were nine candidates running for four City Council seats.

The unofficial vote leaders are Adam Hiob with 667 votes; Tandra Ridgley, 612; Timothy W. Lindecamp, 535; Bill Montgomery, 333; Darin M. Wassum, 307; Beth Boyson, 301; Sarah Davis, 291; Sarahia Benn, 279 and Paul Clark, 239.

Hiob, the current City Council president, is the top vote-getter and the youngest candidate in the race at 29. He works for the Harford Community Action Agency and also served as a legislative director in the Maryland General Assembly.

Ridgley, who was running for her first full term in office after she was appointed to the City Council last year, said she’ll prioritize boosting opportunities for business owners and revitalizing the east side of the city.

Incumbent Lindecamp, athletic director at Aberdeen High School, is set for his third term on the council. He said he would not take donations from anybody and is a proponent of smart growth for the city.

Montgomery, who ran unsuccessfully for a Harford County Council seat last year, is set to win a seat on the City Council if he keeps fourth place. He is an Army veteran and adjunct professor at Harford Community College. Montgomery says he wants to prioritize economic development.

Doors at Aberdeen City Hall will open at 9:30 a.m. Friday for the absentee and provisional ballot canvass, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the council chambers. The outcome of the 2023 municipal election will become official at that time.