Report: Howard County to Experience "Massive Turnover" in Legislature

Even for a local reporter, it's hard to keep track of all the state house seats open in Howard County.

Local politicians are jostling for new positions as incumbents retire. New candidates are announcing for freshly redistricted seats. 

In the county there are three senate seats (Dist. 13, 9 and 12) and nine delegate seats (three in Dist. 12, three in 13, one in 12B, and two in 12A).

Two of the Senate seats are open because Sen. James Robey (D-Dist. 13) is retiring and Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-Dist. 9) is running for Howard County Executive. Sen. Ed Kasemeyer (D-Dist. 12) who represents a part of Columbia and Baltimore County is the lone Senate incumbent left in the county.

In the House, six of the nine delegate seats are open, due to retirements and a new district—9B in Ellicott City—being drawn.

A recent report on MarylandReporter.com takes a look at all the political movement in Howard County. Here's what's happening:

• Del. Guy Guzzone (D-Dist. 13) announced he will run for Robey's Dist. 13 Senate seat.
• With Guzzone out, Howard County Board of Education member Janet Siddiqui (D) announced she would run for Guzzone's Dist. 13 delegate seat. District 13 represents parts of Columbia, Elkridge and Savage.
• District 12, composed of Downtown Columbia and part of Baltimore County, has three vacancies due to the retirement of Democratic incumbents Steve DeBoy, Liz Bobo and Jimmy Malone.
• Three Democrats have already announced their candidacy for District 12—Clarence Lam, a research physician; Terri Hill, a plastic surgeon; and Brian Bailey, a Baltimore County marketing director.
• In Ellicott City's new district, 9B, lawyer and blogger Tom Coale announced he will run as a Democrat last week. Carol Loveless, an Ellicott City businesswoman, will run for the open seat as a Republican.
• In the western part of the county, Del. Gail Bates announced she will run for the District 9 Senate seat being vacated by Allan Kittleman. Trent Kittleman, Allan's step-mother, who ran for county executive in 2010 has filed to run in District 9A for Bate's seat. There are two delegate seats in 9A and incumbent Del. Warren Miller will run for his seat on a ticket with Bates.