This election cycle for Howard County Board of Education is already setting up to be interesting…and very busy for candidates. I had this idea to do something a little different than the forums and got some support for other entities…so off we go with this idea…one “meet and greet” event where all candidates are invited and free to the public to attend. Talk with one or all 19 (if they all attend) candidates running for HoCoBOE in 2020. I will note that all 19 candidates have been invited (via email and via Facebook for the ones I am connected with).

This event will be held at Alphabets Montessori School (6050 Meadowridge Center Dr #100, Elkridge, MD 21075) on March 7th from 10:00am to 12:00pm. Here is the Facebook event if that helps you remember (like it does me): https://www.facebook.com/events/512606699375705/

This event will be different than other “forum” events you will see this election cycle. It will not be a structured event with only 30 or 60 second sound bites….this will be an opportunity to meet the candidates directly and you ask the questions you are interested in or listen to the various candidates as they talk about their ideas for the school system. No speeches from the candidates or entities running the event…it is a PURE meet and greet to maximize the time and space.

The plan is to also have tables for the candidates so that they can provide you an opportunity to their campaign materials (palm cards, brochures, flyers, car stickers, buttons…you get it).

The goal of this is to provide the greatest opportunity to really know all of the candidates running in 2020. Forums are great…and I am super supportive of those events (and I will be involved in some of those events this election cycle) but I just wanted to try something different with this event.

Each individual candidate will probably have their own “meet and greet” event this election cycle. Most will do it with some cost involved in order to run their campaign. I get it…it cost money to do this stuff. I just wanted to do one event where we could all meet the candidates that cost the attendees nothing to meet as many candidates as possible.

This election will be different…you will only be able to VOTE for the candidate that lives and runs in your district…but (I feel) you should know all of the candidates running and this is that opportunity.

Scott E’s Blog, Indian Origin Network in Howard County (IONHoCo), Forward Maryland (Bill Woodcock and Jason Booms) and Howard County Neighbors United will all co-host this event. The goal is that we will all use our networks and followers to promote this event and make it as big as the “blogger” event Bill and I put on back in 2017 in Ellicott City.

IONHoCo helped arrange the space for this event…and I can not thank them enough. Having the space for this event was the first big hurdle and they stepped up in a big way to help provide that for this event.

Forward Maryland has already done a podcast to promote this event (LISTEN HERE). They plan to setup their equipment and do interviews with candidates and attendees (that are interested) before, during or after the event.

Howard County Neighbors United recently signed on to help co-host this event as well. I am glad to have them on the team to help promote this event to our county residents.

My hope is that all candidates attend…and we get a big turnout from the public for this event. I want the voters to have as much knowledge and information as possible before they go vote in 2020.

As I hear back from candidates about their attendance to this event….I will update this post (or a new one) with that listing. Again…my goal is that all 19 attend and I will let my readers know when I know who will be at this event.

Here is who I have heard back from via email or the Facebook event:

Matthew D. Molyett (D1)

Larry Pretlow (D2)

Kisten Coombs (D4)

Matt Levine (D4)

Mike Sheer (D4)

Sezin Palmer (D4)

Jen Mallo (D4)

Gene Ryan (D5)

Saif Rehman (D5)

Worry not…I will be hitting up all of the candidates to get the greatest attendance I can.

Scott E