News

Smith, Lanehart & Hall running for Hancock mayor seat

McCusker & Strong file as council candidates

Tim Smith
Roland Lanehart, Jr.
Preston Hall

by Geoff Fox

When Hancock residents head to the polls in April for the municipal election, they’ll be choosing between three men for mayor and two for council.

Tim Smith has filed to run for a second term as mayor. Current Councilman Roland Lanehart, Jr. has also filed as a candidate for mayor, along with resident Preston Hall, who has sought the office before.

Lanehart does not have to resign his council seat to run for mayor, since his council position is also up for election and his term will expire the same time as Smith’s.

When Smith ran for mayor two years ago, he had to resign from his council

seat because there were two years left on his council term.

Smith’s council seat was filled at the time by the appointment of Josh McCusker to the Hancock council.

McCusker has decided to run to retain his seat. He’ll be joined on the ballot for council by Richard Strong.

McCusker and Strong are running unopposed for the two open council seats.

The municipal election will be held Monday, April 17, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Hancock Town Hall and Community Center.

The mayor serves a twoyear term while council members serve a four-year term.

Voting in the town election

Hancock residents have until March 23 to register to vote in the municipal election if they are not already registered.

Eligible persons who wish to register to vote in Hancock’s election can pick up a voter registration at the post office or Town Hall during regular business hours until 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 23.

The town also allows for absentee voters.

Any qualified voter who may be unavoidably absent from the town for any reason on election day or has a physical disability or confinement in or restriction to an institution prevents or will prevent them from being present and personally voting at the polls on election day.

The application for absentee ballots shall be provided by the Hancock Board of Election Supervisors and is available upon request.

Voters wanting an absentee ballot should write to: Board of Election Supervisors, 126 West High Street, Hancock, MD 21750, requesting an absentee ballot for the April 17 election.

Written requests for an absentee ballot must be received no later than 14 days prior to the election, which would be Monday, April 3.