The goal of this blog is simple. I will be reporting on my efforts to get Maryland’s
2014 gubernatorial candidates on record about three electoral reforms I believe
are desperately needed in the state:

• Outlawing candidate slates;
• Outlawing “sample ballots” used by candidate slates as political advertisements; and
• Establishment of an independent, nonpartisan system for drawing legislative and congressional districts.

I am choosing to focus on the gubernatorial candidates, as all of these reforms are statewide efforts in nature and will likely require active support from the next governor.

To give an example of how slates and their sample ballots influence our local elections, I will also document my efforts as I lobby my local incumbent office holders and try to keep them from endorsing a candidate in the race for the Prince George’s County Board of Education District 9 seat.