The four-way race in the Republican primary for sheriff remained too close to call Tuesday night, with candidate Jeff Gahler leading Steven Bodway by just 66 votes with 96.1 percent of precincts reporting.
Gahler had 7.091 votes, or 34.7 percent of the vote, as of 11:40 p.m., while Bodway trailed with 7,025 votes, or 34.37 percent of the vote.
In addition to the remaining precincts that had not reporting, absentee and overseas ballots still remain. A first canvassing of absentee ballots is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m.
Bodway made up ground on Gahler as the night progressed, cutting lead that ran as high as nine percentage points to a razor-thin margin as most of the county’s other races were decided.
Gahler said he was content with his 66-vote lead as his team packed it in for the night just before midnight.
“We’ve had the lead all night on every return,” he said. “I’m encouraged by that, but it’s actually closer than I thought it would be.”
Bodway said he was preparing for a drawn-out process to decide the race’s winner, one that he said could take weeks.
“It’s a dead heat,” Bodway said. “To have a race this close is really quite amazing.”
The eventual winner will face incumbent Sheriff Jesse Bane in November’s general election.
Mamma Mia!
lots of time and money. if you get what you pay for, then maybe we’ll have better government and police
lots of time and money. if you get what you pay for, then maybe we’ll have better government and police, it’s worked pretty well for folks like Clark Turner.
Come on Bodway…stretch that neck out for the camera at the finish line please!
No matter who wins the primary, Bane is going to be extremely tough to beat. He will have the backing of there union along with popular Republicans like Craig behind him!
Don’t worry. When the dirt comes out on Bane the public will be outraged. And there is a lot of dirt….
here’s to hoping Gehler wins out of the two of them. Definately not my first pick but he has a better chance against Bane and Bane needs to GO!! Our deputies deserve better than what they currently have.
sorry for the typo on Gahler’s name. Havn’t had my coffee yet 🙂
what about the other typos and grammatical errors?
really????????? Give me a break. I’m pretty sure you arn’t perfect but if you are then I apologize for being imperfect.
I am one for change, but i believe Bodway will actually have a better shot at Bane. Gahler has aligned himself with people who are (i dont like using the word hate) but they are simply hated by 95% of the deputies. Gahler will have very little support from the deputies and he has no chance at getting the union. Bodway on the other hand will be able to generate a police vote. Not as much as Bane will but he will have more police support then Gahler. As far as the union goes they will easily support Bane. The only other candidate that would have gotten the union’s support would have been Meckley, but he doesn’t factor in this current race at this point. It’s going to be an interesting finish!
Bodway got our three votes when he knocked on our door last week, and gave us the chance to discuss the qualifications listed on his brochure with him for about 10 minutes. We were very impressed by him and also his willingness to go door to door, meet the folks and tell us why we should choose him.
How did it work out when Ted Moyer was Sheriff? There we had another retired State Trooper running the Sheriff’s department. Does anybody remember how that turned out for the deputies and the county?
Yea, but then again Ted did more than Jesse ever has. At least he started the sobriety checkpoints and at least he went out and made an arrest. Ted was first on the scene, ran down and tackled a suspect in Meadowood who had just set fire to his girlfriend’s car. He put a case of the whoppass on the combative subject. When I got there the suspect was on the ground with Ted on top of him.
I never saw or heard of Jesse handling a crime in progress call in Edgewood. He would have a hard time arresting a middle school student by himself. Our Sheriff, our hero.
Moyer was defeated by Mele who, if you remember was anti-union and would not even read the Union letters addressed to him. Mele made Jesse Undersheriff and he wrecked the office so bad that Mele was defeated by Coomes. Now Jesse is back doing the same poor job. Wrecking the office and disrespecting every hard working officer out there. He presents himself to the public as this big crime-fighter, lowering crime, doing away with gangs. Yea, right. Here’s a guy who can’t even recognize a gang member.
We need a professional leader who will treat the men with respect, put the right people in the right jobs, increase manpower on the road, give the detention center proper attention, not lie to the public, and not waste your tax dollars. There are two very fine republican candidates out there who are not afraid to make arrests, and won’t hold the hands of drug dealers.
Thanks for the information recently retired. I also remember Ted Moyer was ready to do his job anywhere / anytime. He coached my brother’s baseball little league team. A game was being played at William Paca in Abingdon. 2 yahoos on dirtbikes cut across the ball field. Ted, on foot, took off after them, stipping off his coaches uniform, revealing the State Police uniform he still had on underneath. I was too young to remember why he didn’t make it two terms as Sheriff. What was the rap Mele put on him, that he wasn’t experience in the department or too cozy with the union?
That does it! I’m running for sheriff next time.
recently retired?? Dirt on Bane ~ Please, no way! The guy is above reproach. A proven leader and honest man! Stop or tell!
Honest man… yes! Means the absolute best in everything he does… yes! Proven leader… No way… We are not in a war, and the Sheriff’s Office and Harford County are not a true battle ground. But having worked for the man, if it were a battle ground and an actual war, he would not be the person any deputy I know would take with them as their leader. He could stay back and be the company clerk, but no freaking way is he proven to lead at the level he currently holds. The sad thing is that a Gahler win in the primary assures a Bane’s support of the agency because he is the lesser of two evils. It will be another unguided four years of limbo and indecision with Bane, or the persecution of returned persons scorned with Gahler and his command crew who he doesn’t have the balls to announce even though everyone is confident who it will be… Bane has given a tremendous amount of his life to serving the community. If elected he should continue that trend and retire, handing his office to his second in command. That person is far more capable of taking this agency forward in a positive way that both the deputies and the public deserve then Bane or Gahler. I really hope that the absentee votes turn the tide for Bodeway and give the public a chance to elect a proven leader with a vision for the future for both the deputies and the public.
You certainly are One Sad Person. Last time I checked, Bane doesn’t get to hand his office off to anyone. Believe it or not and as this race is showing us, it is the PEOPLE who get to decide who will lead the Sheriff’s Office, this year and in the future. Regardless of the outcome, I’m sure I’ll be chatting with you often One Sad Democrat, opps, Person.
And don’t forget that Bodway IS kind of hot ….
You really think Jesse could be a clerk? He can’t write. He can’t understand the technology. He’s no RADAR! Try another position like…I got it! He could tape the command staff meetings, then take all week to type them out. But he would need to know how to use Word and the features such as spell checker. He just might put on a super short skirt and put in for overtime!
Or maybe he can be put in charge of the auctions! Let’s see…hmmm…the last auction was in July 2000. How much mony has the county lost? Because under his great leadership this past decade he has not held an auction. I figure about $30,000, maybe more. Great leadership….
Rt Forty is looking for Gramma~ that instaed of putting the right people in office.. What is that called….. ? Kick the dog?
Precinct by precinct counts shows Bodway gaining a bit.
Bodway 7041
Gahler 7094
Difference of 53 votes by my calculations, down from 66. I really can’t believe how close this is!
Praying for Bodway…
I too saw that Gahler’s lead shrunk. I’m very challenged at math, so I don’t understand how there can be two different numbers if they are all being drawn from the same source. Or am I just not getting it? If someone can explain, I’d appreciate it.
yeah the only thing i can think is that perhaps one was done later than the other? Otherwise I don’t understand how there are 2 sets of numbers either.
Okay I would like to know if I’m reading this correctly…on the Harford County Voter website I found the following….
# Harford County GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY ELECTION is open to ALL REGISTERED VOTERS including Republicans and Democrats; as well as third party and unaffiliated voters for the first time in Councilmanic A, B, and D..
http://www.harfordvotes.info/Index.cfm?ID=594
I am in Dion Guthrie District (A) but yet when I went to go vote I was told the only person I could vote for was School Board. I was not given any other races to vote for. Am I reading this wrong or was I told I could not vote incorrectly by voting personnel at the polling station. I would like someone to verify my eyes please as I’m starting to not like what I just saw. I even more upset with the possible lack of knowledge of voting regulations for independent voters. But I could be wrong…if I’m not though theres going to be someone answering why me and countless others were turned away from other races.
If you are registered as an independent you can only vote for school board…You must be a Rep. or Dem to vote in their primary.
Being allowed to vote for just school board in Councilmanic A is what they mean by “Gubernatorial Primary Election”. Basically I can vote for one category but not all. Is this correct? I take it the open means…”open for school board only”.
Thanks
I hear you, its a system and you gotta play in it I guess.
Go Gahler! Wake up Harford County. You should have given Gahler this win in a landslide.
I work as an election judge and in the State of Maryland, only Democrats and Republicans are allowed to vote for the party candidates they are registered for. It is not like that in every state. So unfortunately, Independents or any other Party Affiliated voters can only vote in the primary for the school board because it is Non-Partisan.
Believe me, this was a HUGE problem in the Presidental primary election in 2008. Many people wanted to switch parties the day of the election and there were many angry people who found out they couldn’t vote in a primary. General election is different.
I would encourage citizens to address this issue with the people who are running for office this year. Maybe that is one of the other reasons voter turnout is so low.
Thanks Kate
in reality it breaks down to this…you are not voting for elected officials. the parties are voting for which candidates they want to represent their party so it’s only right that the members of that party choose their candidate…I know lots of independents that register with a party just for the primaries.
Sandi…. i accept your apology
Even living in Austin now, I know that Harford County is due for change and the best man for the job is Gahler….hands down!
Well put Austin! I too believe Gahler is the best man to run against Bane. Wake up people. This should have been done and over with the other night. Maybe if Jeff had a last name starting with ‘A’ we wouldn’t be waiting on additional votes!!!
Are you implying voters simply selected Bodway because he was first on the ballot?
I think he was and he is correct:
http://www.uvm.edu/~vlrs/PoliticalProcess/ballotordereffects.pdf
The Dagger is at the Elections Office in Forest Hill at 10 a.m. waiting for absentee ballot count to begin. Sheriff candidates Bodway and Gahler, Del. Riley and Board of Ed candidate Myers are watching. Gahler is sitting with Howard Walter.
Can the dagger ask why there is a difference between precinct totals and totals on the harford votes site at http://harfordvotes.info/Index.cfm?ID=594
counting…There was a memory card left in voting machine #7 at Joppa Elementary. Per Election Supervisor Kim Adkins, the board of elections sent a bipartisan team to retrieve the card and those votes were included in a reload of all memory cards done yesterday. The net result was a narrowing of Gahler’s lead from 66 votes, to a lead of 53 votes, which is where the count stood before today’s absentee ballot count.
I hope that answers your question.
You mean he is sitting with the future Warden im sure. Howard doesnt get involved in anything unless he is getting something out of it. Its ashame Gahler linked himself with them, if not he would have had alot more support on the law enforcement side and would probably have had a decent shot at Bane. I just dont see it happening.
I have a really nice picture of someone very close to Steve Bodway doing interesting things on election day. I’m really inclined to have the Dagger post it.
Howard was actually a really good warden and we would be fortunate to have him back. I’m hopeful that if JG does win the primary that the years past of animosity between LE and Howard Walter does not ruin his shot in the general. Unfortunately, your probably right, and we have to many progressives in this county to get a strong Republican vote in November.
let’s see that Boadway picture~
Hey Marc, Terry and Bodway group – best of luck. Regardless of who wins this thing, we’ll definitely find out which of the Sheriff’s candidates is really a man of his word. If I’m not mistaken all four candidates got together and promised each other his support if defeat occurred. We will soon know who is a man of his word and who isn’t.
im not sure who you are but i have read all your post and for some reason i dont know why but you get under my skin. Im glad you keep repeating what we all read and know but get off the bodway group and go back to your poker table. I hope my taxes dont pay for you to be out on the street protecting me at night. walters has one eye on you and one eye on gahler best of luck and if defeat occurrs again i hope gahler sticks to his word and supports bane if im not mistaken.
Hey DAGGER – Who’s that guy on the back row in the white shirt? Hanley?
Gahler and his man and then the guy off by himself, who is that?
which one is Howard?… Can’t really tell?
Howard is the bald guy with one eye looking straight ahead and the other looking out the window.
a photography is worth a thousand words…yessir!
just sayin’
good work Dagger
http://www.daggerpress.com/2010/09/16/in-harford-sheriff%e2%80%99s-race-gahlers-lead-over-bodway-grows-after-first-canvassing-of-ballots-2/
Got It~ Thanks~
Bane you got my vote!
BANE YOU GOT MY VOTE : )
Aberdeen Baby – Not surprised – Facts are the facts that 9 out of 10 of ya will automatically pull that Democratic lever. Thats why you are represented by the likes of Martin OMalley, Charles Rangel, Maxin Waters, Barbara Boxer, Barrack Obama and spokesman like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. Make no mistake – Jesse Bane plays the same game as those folk. However, this time around, people realize that Jesse Bane is not a consevative and is certainly not a conservative republican. Jeff Gahler will win this election easily.
Aberdeen Baby are you part of Jesse Bane’s Community Organization. What has Uncle Jesse promised you? You know Obama started as a Community Organizer as well.
NO im 28yrs old and work at a hospital uncle jesse aint my uncle AND IM FLIPPIN WHITE BUTT HOLE
YOU GUYS ARE POLICITCAL BULLIES THAT TAKE THIS STUFF WAY TO HARD, YOU HAVE VERY SHARP TONGUES. IM GOING TO SCHOOL AND UNCLE JESSE DIDNT OFFER ME A JOB YOU GUYS ARE QUICK TO THROW OUT A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS IF YOU ALL ARE ON GAHLERS SIDE MAYBE THE READERS SHOULD SEE WHAT KIND OF BULLIES GAHLER HAS RUNNING WITH HIS CROWD. WOW YOU GUYS ARE SUCH BUTT HEADS, JUST CUZ SOMEONE AUTOMATICALLY PUTS SOMETHING UP HERE YOU AUTOMATICALLY THINK THAT IM RELATED TO THE PERSON. WELL IM NOT I DONT KNOW WHAT I BOTHER COMING ON HERE, ITS NOT WORTH IT ANYMORE, THE DAGGER REALLY NEEDS TO WEED SOME OF YOU GUYS OUT. YOUNG ADULTS DONT EVEN WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH POLITICS YOUR THROW ROCKS AND SEEM SO ANGRY LEAVE ME ALONE I I KNOW ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH BUT HE AINT MY UNCLE IM NOT EVEN FROM HERE I READ AND RESEARCH IM INTITLED JUST LIKE YOU AND FURTHER MORE IM NOT VOTING FOR OMALLEY I DIDNT VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT I CANT STAND JESSE JACKSON AND I DONT CARE FOR THE REST, I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT TO A DEMOCRAT OR REPUB BUT I TELL YOU WHAT DEALIN WITH YOU PEOPLE ON HERE MAKES ME WANT TO JUST SAY SCREW IT WHO CARE IF YOU WANT TO INFLUCENCE THE YOUNGER ONES DONT BE BULLIES GOOD BYE DAGGER YOU CAN KEEP THESE GUYS THERE MEAN
Aberdeen Baby: Obviously you have never heard the word “sarcasm”. I thought Smegma meant Uncle Jesse on the Dukes of Hazzard. I guess he’s not your uncle either.
and neither is obama and i hardly think your friend smegma was talking of the show before my time.
I just loved the Dukes of Hazard. Coo Coo Ca Chu….
has anyone heard from the NorthHarford Graduate I want to speak with him