In the final days before Tuesday's general election, the two candidates for Harford County sheriff were busy last week shaking as many hands as possible and soliciting votes for themselves and votes against Question A, which would greatly limit the sheriff's powers.
Robert E. Comes, the incumbent Democrat, planned to knock on some doors and visit some public functions, including a bull roast, to "meet the people."
"The television, radio and newspaper ads are all in place for the final days, and I feel real good about my campaign," he said.
Joseph P. Meadows, the Republican challenger, said he would knock on doors wherever his campaign staff says he has spent the least time.
"I've visited every corner of the county," Mr. Meadows said, "but I'll revisit certain neighborhoods."
Mr. Meadows said Tuesday's high winds and rain had destroyed most of his campaign signs, so he was repairing those that could be salvaged.
He said he would devote the final hours before Election Day to coordinating coverage of the 54 polling places. "Except for the fact that my opponent would not debate me in a public forum, I am very happy with the progress of my campaign," said Mr. Meadows, the first Republican since 1954 to run for sheriff.
"I have received lots of support from a lot of different organizations and met many wonderful people who went out of their way to offer kind words," he said.
During a candidates' forum sponsored by the Greater Fallston Community Association at the Grandview Christian Church Tuesday, the last public arena where both Mr. Meadows and Mr. Comes answered questions, they responded to concerns over police response time in the Fallston area.
The sheriff said fewer deputies and increased functions have necessitated pulling some deputies off road patrol to help with other duties.
Mr. Meadows said while it is true that the office's resources are drained and no new deputies have been hired, the sheriff should not have taken on new functions without being prepared for them.
Question A, if the voters approve it, would create a police force under a chief of police accountable to the county executive and relegate the sheriff to handling court security, serving court papers and overseeing the Detention Center.
Sheriff Comes said the catalyst for Question A was the unfortunate death of inmate William Ford in the Detention Center.
He said that it took more than two years, five separate investigations and a grand jury report to prove the inmate was not murdered and that there was no wrongdoing by sheriff's personnel.
Mr. Meadows countered that the problem is not with the office of sheriff as such but that the same people have been running the Detention Center for 12 years. He said the current leadership and management of the sheriff's office is bad and that the office is worse than it was four years ago.
"Question A wouldn't even have been on the ballot then," he said. "It's time to give somebody else a chance."
Sheriff Comes said Thursday that he will let his 37 years of law enforcement experience, his accomplishments over the past four years and the reduced crime rate speak for him.