Republican Ellen R. Sauerbrey, who is threatening to challenge her loss in the gubernatorial race, called yesterday for state election administrator Gene M. Raynor to "step aside" after reports that he put a "phantom no-show employee" on the state payroll.
In a statement, Mrs. Sauerbrey said that because of the allegations of impropriety against Mr. Raynor, he cannot be trusted to oversee her attempts to overturn election results that gave her Democratic challenger, Parris N. Glendening, a thin victory margin of 6,000 votes.
"Since the issues raised include a 'phantom no-show employee,' and the propriety of their outside employment and investments, ethical and legal issues are now of a great concern," the statement said, adding: "Phantom employees -- like phantom votes -- are unacceptable in every election."
The veteran Baltimore County legislator called upon Mr. Glendening to join her in asking Mr. Raynor "to voluntarily step aside and remove himself from the oversight of this election as we attempt to get an honest vote count."
If Mr. Raynor does not step down, Mrs. Sauerbrey said the state elections board should suspend the administrator.
"The honorable thing would be for him to resign," said Sauerbrey spokeswoman Jane Williams-Ward, who would not comment further. "I don't have anything further to say than the press release."
Mr. Raynor said in an interview yesterday that he would not step down from his post, which he has held since 1987.
Mr. Glendening sidestepped Mrs. Sauerbrey's request, noting that he has no control over the election board yet. And Gov. William Donald Schaefer, who still oversees the elections board, strongly backed Mr. Raynor.
"That's preposterous," Mr. Raynor said when he was told of Mrs. Sauerbrey's request. "That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I think she's preposterous. That statement is preposterous. It is totally unfounded."
Mr. Raynor called Mrs. Sauerbrey's bid to link allegations against him to the gubernatorial election an attempt to gain her some publicity.
"It's been her motive all along," he said, pointing out, as well, that local election boards, not the state board, are responsible for counting the ballots.
The state board has oversight, however.
"I don't like it becoming a political football," Mr. Raynor said. "This election is over. She has to challenge through the local boards. She obviously doesn't know the process."
Mrs. Sauerbrey's request followed an article in The Sun yesterday quoting employees in the state election office, who dubbed Mr. Raynor's friend and business partner, Paul L. Oliver, the "invisible man," saying he rarely came to the office. They could not say what he did to earn his $23,743-a-year salary.
While a state trooper assigned to the state attorney general's office investigated the allegations in mid-September, Mr. Oliver resigned during one of the election office's busiest periods. He explained that he wanted to take time off before going to college in January.
Mr. Raynor hired Mr. Oliver to work at the elections board as an administrative specialist in July 1989. At the time, Mr. Oliver was a waiter at the Waterfront Hotel Restaurant, which is co-owned by Mr. Raynor.
A few months later, Mr. Raynor helped Mr. Oliver buy Dalesio's Restaurant of Little Italy, and the two men later formed a corporation to invest in properties.
Both Mr. Raynor and Mr. Oliver denied any impropriety, saying Mr. Oliver worked for his salary, primarily by delivering voting materials to election offices across the state. Both men maintained they were unaware of a criminal investigation.
Mr. Glendening, through spokesman Eric Andrus, said he would not join his opponent in asking Mr. Raynor to take a leave of absence.
"Maryland has one governor at a time," Mr. Andrus said. "And the current governor is William Donald Schaefer. On the 18th, Parris will become the governor, and at that time, Parris will review this situation and determine an appropriate response."
The governor-elect would not comment on Ms. Sauerbrey's assertion that the allegations of ethical impropriety raised against Mr. Raynor could affect her investigation into reports of election irregularities.
L Yesterday, Mr. Schaefer dismissed Ms. Sauerbrey's challenge.
"I will not ask Mr. Raynor to resign," he said through his spokesman, Joseph L. Harrison Jr. "He ran elections in the state for eight years and much longer in the city. He's done a fine job and he's a very decent man. Mrs. Sauerbrey has worked very hard to overturn the results of the election and this is another step by her to try to do that."
James Johnson Jr., chairman of the state elections board, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
A board member, Barbara Kendall, said she was unaware of any investigation of Mr. Raynor, and she declined to comment on Mrs. Sauerbrey's request that the board suspend its administrator.
"I need more information on this," she said. "I need more information. I don't even know what to think until until I know what's going on and what the situation is."