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Politics & Government

Hanley Enters Race 5 Minutes Before Deadline

All three incumbents and two challengers are running for the Board of Commissioners this year.

If actions speak louder than words, then Terence Hanley couldn’t have made more noise Friday night when he filed for next month's Board of Commissioners election.

The two-term town commissioner silently declined comment as he entered town hall five minutes before the registration deadline for the 2011 Bel Air election.

Hanley after Patch first reported he  $5,000 .  of  with .

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Hanley parked an Escalade in front of Town Hall just after 6:50 p.m. before greeting Town Clerk Joyce Oliver.

By signing the paper and paying $25 in cash, the Broadway resident made it a five-candidate race Nov. 8 for three vacant seats.

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Fellow incumbents Edward Hopkins and Robert Reier are  their  on the board while Greg Adolph and Susan Burdette have emerged as challengers.

No other residents took advantage of the late Town Hall hours Friday to register for the election.

Patch will continue to provide leading coverage of this year’s election.

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6:55 p.m. Terence Hanley has filed for the 2011 Bel Air election five minutes before the registration deadline.

He declined comment before, during and after registration.

More details to follow.

6:37 p.m. Another candidate just walked in to register. Oh wait—false alarm. It's Town Clerk Joyce Oliver's husband. They're going out to dinner after the 7 p.m. deadline. I wonder if I can be the third wheel?

6:16 p.m. Town Clerk Joyce Oliver is using her cell phone as the official time for the 7 p.m. deadline. Any more candidates who want to register better get here in less than 45 minutes.

Director of Finance Lisa Moody has also left the building. I think it's just me and Oliver.

5:50 p.m. Town Administrator Chris Schlehr just left, so they are letting people leave. That's good. I just wish someone would come in and register for the election.

Still three seats open. Still four candidates registered.

5:45 p.m. No one has entered the building since I arrived. (No one has left either. Do you think they'll let me out at 7 p.m.?)

Oliver said she doesn't mind staying a little later because, "I got plenty of work. I get a chance to catch up."

I concur.

If you're thinking about running, or would just like to say hi, stop by within the next 75 minutes.

Town Administrator Chris Schlehr and Director of Finance Lisa Moody are also working late.

5:13 p.m. With less than two hours before the registration deadline, there's no indication that Terence Hanley will run for his third term as a Bel Air commissioner.

"Well we still have one commissioner (Hanley) that we haven’t heard from," said Town Clerk Joyce Oliver, who has been at town hall since 9 a.m.

With Edward Hopkins and Robert Reier—the other two incumbents whose terms expire this fall—already in the race, Oliver said she will not attempt to contact Hanley.

"I don’t ask any of the commissioners. I let them take it upon themselves," said Oliver, who declined to say if she would like to see Hanley run. "I don’t voice an opinion on elections because I’m too tied to it."

Oliver added that four candidates for three seats would be a "small" field, and that there have never been fewer than one extra candidate versus the number of seats available.

In the 2009 election, David Carey and Robert Preston narrowly edged Greg Adolph for the two open seats in a field of six candidates.

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The Board of Commissioners election isn't for 32 days, but Bel Air residents have until Friday to register as candidates.

Patch is at  until 7 p.m. when applications are due.

Entering the deadline day, up for the Nov. 8 decision.

Greg Adolph, who narrowly , was the . He was challenger Susan Burdette, whose husband used to be mayor.

Incumbents Edward Hopkins and Robert Reier are their on the board.

The third and final incumbent whose seat comes open next month is Terence Hanley. The two-time commissioner is of a pair of separate legal battles. for an with . The other for $5,000 .

Residents who have lived in town limits for at least six months prior to the Nov. 8 election have until 7 p.m. Friday to register for the race. There is a $25 fee.

Residents can check their voter registration status by calling the Harford County Board of Elections at 410-638-3565.

Commissioner Robert Preston and Mayor David Carey are halfway through four-year terms.

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