Start heating your microwave popcorn now. Here is an interview taped last Wednesday that will be available in October to Comcast On Demand subscribers. But because you are such a smart person to read my blog, you get to screen it here first.


Right click here for our Feature Presentation

Rail service from Washington to Ocean City is one of the major projects in my transportation plan. Did you know that at one time, there was rail service to Ocean City that arrived at a station on South Division Street? Today, the site was opened as Sunset Park. While it commemorates the train station and railroad bridge, it also reminds us that we have again taken a step backwards. As with the "rails-to-trails" mania nationwide, we are actually worsening the quality of our environment under the guise of green space, by eliminating zero and low-emission transit options. Vote for Robert Dyer Nov. 7, so we can finally start moving our transportation system forward into the 21st century!

Monday night, I attended a forum on pedestrian safety at the Friendship Heights Village Center. While I've encountered my Democratic opponents (the two who are campaigning, anyway) several times, on this night William Bronrott was actually a member of the panel. Pedestrian safety is one issue that Mr. Bronrott and I can agree on, and is actually one that he has concentrated on while in office. While many critical issues have been ignored by our current delegation, I do commend Mr. Bronrott for his continued efforts on vehicular and pedestrian safety.

I also commend the organizers for all of the free stuff they put out. They even had those plastic rulers that turn into a safety armband when you slap it against your arm, as the gentleman from the D.C. Government demonstrated with an "Ouch!" He was only joking, he assured us.

I work in Friendship Heights, but Howard Denis (County Council - District 1) actually lives there, a few yardsticks from the Center. So he was appropriately asked to take the podium to begin the evening. He did commit a faux pas when he recognized Duchy Trachtenberg and said that he was certain that she would wake up on November 8 as a member of the Montgomery County Council. Wait a minute. Hold the phone. The only new female member of the County Council on Nov. 8 will be Amber Gnemi. Gee whiz, let's be a little more supportive of our Republican candidates.

So, anyway, then the panel began its presentations. In contrast to the affordable housing and Westbard debates, there were actually a lot of specifics in the discussions, so I applaud that. Statistics, results of current programs, and future plans were detailed by the panel, which also included Lt. Smith from the Bethesda District of the Montgomery County Police, and traffic experts from the MDSHA, Washington D.C., and Montgomery County. Then it was time for questions from the audience, and it was all downhill from there.

Apparently, the status quo didn't want the Friendship Heights citizens to hear from Mr. Bronrott's challenger, Robert Dyer. Let me be clear: I don't have any solid evidence of that, besides some whispers between certain individuals during the Q&A. But moments later it was announced that the question period would be cut short. The self-described "Phil Donahue" (insert your own comment here) in the crowd kept the mic on the other side of the room, while panelists turned on the slow gas for the longest answers you've ever heard. As they ran down the clock NFL-style, I could hardly contain my laughter. And there were too many officials in the crowd asking questions, and going on and on and on, which prevented actual citizens from having a chance to speak. This was a citizens' forum, not a council meeting. Strange, then, that so many senior citizens who had made the effort to attend were not allowed to comment on the issues during the forum.

Well, here's what I was going to say: I work in Friendship Heights, so I'm up there on a daily basis and know the problems unlike the panelists. For example, the "experts" didn't even know the situation with the bus terminal, which led to some justifiable muttering in the crowd. Secondly, some of the most effective solutions are the cheapest: countdown signals, rumble strips, and lighted signage. The fact is that many drivers aren't paying attention, and we can reduce some accidents by getting their attention. The other bad drivers are hardcore speeders and aggressive drivers who require police enforcement. Finally, the County needs to take into account the high percentage of senior citizens in Friendship Heights when setting the timers for crossing signals.

Frankly, I'm not convinced enough has been done on the pedestrian safety issue in Friendship Heights. Given the demographics of the area, it is embarrassing that there are not more pedestrian bridges and other such safe passages to assist residents in getting to and from their homes, shopping, Metro, and restaurants. So if you live in Friendship Heights, and you're dissatisfied with the dangerous conditions, vote for Robert Dyer on Nov. 7! I will actually get something done about it! Then I'll be on the next panel discussion. And I promise to let my opponents speak.

I've been offline for two days, and so many things have happened that I'm not sure where to begin. With the uncontested primary over, now the General Election campaign is underway. I also was elected to the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee. The surprising part was that I finished in first place, which I did not expect would happen. Gus Alzona won the second seat and District 16 joined some of the other districts in the Central Committee turnover Tuesday.

Tuesday started off with total chaos, but I didn't realize the scope of the voting machine debacle until later in the morning. Scott went early to vote up at his polling place and encountered the card problem there. Fortunately, he was able to go back later and cast his ballot on the regular machine. The whole provisional ballot idea was absolutely ridiculous. Some were just scrap paper put into sealed envelopes with voter name and address (!), thereby eliminating the basic concept of a secret ballot. There are all kinds of potential misbehavior that could occur with those paper ballots, and I want to know if there are going to be Democratic and Republican observers as those are counted.

Besides the whole card and electronic polling book disaster, I noticed other questionable behavior by officials. Namely, voting officials coming past my voting station and turning their head as they passed, appearing to read my ballot as I cast votes. The machines are propped up and not adequately shielded, so anyone passing by can know who you're voting for.

Secondly, some voters, including myself, were ordered to take out their cell phone and turn it off by an election judge. Again, that is illegal action by the official. The voting process is spelled out step by step in the materials mailed to voters before the election. Nothing can be left out. Likewise, judges cannot arbitrarily invent new voting procedures. In retrospect, I should have challenged that order. But the level of voter intimidation is so high now, with longtime voters being disenfranchised, ballots that "time-out" to scare people into selecting familiar incumbent names, etc., that I guess I just counted myself lucky to be able to exercise my right to vote. Some people lost that right Tuesday. Now, what is the deal with turning off your cell phone? I've heard rumors that it was to prevent interference with the wireless system that connects the electronic books with the central database. Or would cell phones interfere with some electronic misbehavior that was afoot? When someone asked why they must be turned off, the judge refused to give the reason. Now, in that situation, you can only speculate as to what in the world is going on. Which hardly contributes to voter confidence.

Anyway, I had changed my plan and was waiting to vote around noon, so everything was working by that time at my polling place. I was all over the District, and upset to find that many of our precinct chairs went AWOL, while Democrats had a literature table manned at every polling place. This cannot happen on November 7. I came across my opponents at Bethesda ES around 4. Well, at least the two who are campaigning. (The third incumbent did win, leaving the Democrats with only two Washington Post-endorsed candidates. A recent op-ed feature stated that endorsements are an obligation and public service by the Post, and accepting that as a factual statement would require them to give voters three names for a three-seat race. Hence, they will need to endorse at least one Republican to do so.) Brian Frosh, my dad's opponent, was there too, and they were apparently getting some unequal time on WTTG Channel 5. When I tried to contact the TV crew, they were either hiding in the back of their truck or off the premises. Wait a minute, that's Fox. So much for "fair and balanced." Unequal time, I say. That's illegal. Which was pretty much the theme for voters on Tuesday. Resignations by election officials are sure to follow in the next 48 hours, but the emphasis on unconstitutional early voting by Democrats in Annapolis had the expected consequences yesterday. Marc Fisher, writing in the Post, said Tuesday's events were not predicted. But Governor Bob Ehrlich and other Republicans in Annapolis had warned this would happen months ago. The whole situation is an absolute embarrassment and disgrace. Mexico's recent election was cleaner than this. Both Democratic and Republican voters deserve to have the right to vote in a fair election process.

As it got later, the sun went down, and the lights did not come on in the Westland MS parking lot. Again, this was another attempt to discourage voting by making it appear from the street that the polling place was closed. Gus Alzona's son was working there, eventually turning his car around to illuminate the area with the high beams. Gus Alzona himself was next door at Little Flower, where I picked up my last vote of the night. A voter shook my hand vigorously, took my literature, and said, "Any man who'll stand out in the dark like this has my vote."
Thank you, sir.

The primary is less than 48 hours away, and over this weekend the momentum has shifted in the District 16 Delegate race.

Friday night, I was invited to attend Mike Monroe's reception in Pooks Hill. We have a full slate of Republicans in District 16 this year: myself, Mike, and Angela Markelonis. So after the usual traffic jam in Bethesda, I finally got to Pooks Hill. It was a good turnout, and there were even some registered Democrats there supporting Mike. That's the kind of bipartisan support we need to win on Nov. 7. It was also a very intellectual crowd, including some fellow history majors in attendance. So it was a very interesting evening. Candidates Tom Rheinheimer, Mark Uncapher, and Jim Goldberg were there. And we have a new winner for Best Food at a Campaign Event. Wow, I was very impressed. All kinds of cheese, wine, gourmet eggs, ham, even a cake. It must have been a lot of work to put this all together, and thanks again to Mike and his wife for having me as a guest. Also, their condo has quite a spectacular view. There was a full moon, and you can see the Mormon Temple rising over the trees in the distance, and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. Very impressive, more like a resort hotel than a regular condo building.

It was a nice start to a busy weekend of campaigning. The issues I've talked about since my campaign started keep coming up in the headlines and on the campaign trail. Transportation, school construction, and criminals in the classroom, to name three.

Then, today, there was a critical development in the District 16 race. The Washington Post declined to endorse one of the three incumbent Democratic Delegates in District 16. They suggested she is unable to serve and has lost support. Instead, they endorsed one of her Democratic primary opponents, who is even more liberal. So, in November, the Democrats will either have a candidate unendorsed by the major newspaper in the area, or have an even more extreme-left candidate who is unknown to the public. Suddenly, the momentum is shifting our way, as we have 3 viable Republican candidates who represent the citizens, not the political extremes. So there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm as Tuesday's Primary is almost here.

A return to the old stomping grounds. Westland MS, where I was not a student but did take karate lessons held there by my gym teacher, Mr. Looney, in first grade. For the record, I have a blue belt in karate. Did you know that 99% of chopping a board in half with your bare hand is mental? And I used to play soccer on the Westland field during summer camp at Little Flower School, which is right next door. Westland was called Western back then, as George Leventhal can tell you. Yes, he just mentioned tonight that he lived in this area until 1976, and attended Western.

Well, I still live in the neighborhood, so it was a short trip to Westland, which was the location of a County Council Candidates' Forum hosted by a coalition of civic associations. The topic was the Westbard Sector plan, and having lived a few blocks from Westbard all my life (on one side or the other), the future plans for this area are obviously of great concern to me.

I got there just before 8:00 and encountered Roger Berliner in front of the school. Mr. Berliner was cordial as usual and this was a big night for him and Howard Denis who both want to be our next Councilman in District 1.

Inside the All-Purpose room, I ran into two of my Democratic opponents. It was interesting to me, and should be interesting to anyone who lives in the neighborhoods surrounding Westbard, that our current Delegates left before the end of the meeting. Unlike my opponents, I stayed until the end. Remember who is serious about the Westbard Sector plan on Election Day. I've lived in the area my whole life, and I'm not about to let some outside developers come in and destroy the neighborhood. I think it's imperative that we elect a candidate from the neighborhood to represent us at the local and State level during this redevelopment, and I'm the only Delegate candidate from the neighborhood.

Much like last week's low-income housing debate, the evening was mostly a superficial affair. It's not the Council candidates' fault; they don't live here and don't even know what the "Westbard Sector" is. Except for Mr. Leventhal, and Bill Jacobs, who scored mega points for mentioning Farrell's Restaurant. Banana split. Arcade machines. Player piano. Farrell's, not Westland. So how can they really tell us what they're going to do when they have no idea what they are discussing? The result was generalized talk about zoning-text amendments, development, etc. The candidates didn't address the results of the neighborhood survey, in terms of what specific development we do or do not want.

There was a great turnout, and it's good to know that so many people are also concerned about this. In talking to many of my neighbors at the meeting, I think they are in agreement that we want redevelopment that will preserve, and better serve, our neighborhood. I also met Andy Russo, President of our Springfield Civic Association. He's not only working on this, but also the planned expansion by the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

So what should be done in the Westbard Sector? Nobody told us tonight, but here are a few items from my own Westbard plan. The Westwood Shopping Center should be redone and include at least one family restaurant, like we used to have when Farrell's was open. Strike Bethesda is not a family restaurant. Second, we need a full-service, 2006-era grocery store. Whether that is a new type of Super Giant, or Wegman's or Harris-Teeter, isn't something I can answer. People want large product selection, in-store restaurants and more carry-out options. Rite-Aid should stay, although a 24-hour drugstore would be nice. Personally, I want to keep the large, open surface parking. I've heard some rumors about underground parking, which is unsafe and undesirable.

In terms of housing, single-family homes and some townhouses would be acceptable for Westbard, if they retain green space and what tree canopy there is down there. But over my dead body are there going be high-rise commercial and residential buildings on Westbard. Just the fact that it's been proposed is, frankly, outrageous. Are you as concerned about this as I am? Keep in mind on Election Day that our current Delegates get large checks from a Who's Who of developers and developers' attorneys. In the future, I will write in more detail my proposal for Westbard and River Road, which will promote our goal of preserving and better serving our neighborhood.

My top education priority is eliminating portable classrooms from our public schools. In addition, we need to address the achievement gap in Montgomery County. Here is just one statistic for starters.

30% of Latino students in Montgomery County do not have Internet access. Why can't Verizon, in between writing those fat checks to our current Democratic Delegates' campaigns, donate some of those fancy new phones that can use the Internet to those students? Why can't supplemental, in-class help be available in real-time via such technology to students for whom English is a second language?

I see some parallels to the way politicians approach the poverty issue. Why do we isolate these students, and constantly reinforce in their minds that they are "catching-up" and behind their classmates. By giving them some positive recognition, such as the use of the aforementioned devices, let's communicate that they are equally important and that we are expecting a lot from them.

The subject was low-income housing at a County Executive candidates' forum on Wednesday. As affordable homeownership is one of my top priorities, I attended this forum. Our current Delegates did not attend, and that is expected given their inaction on housing issues. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for audience members to participate or ask questions. My concern was that the discussion tended to be rather superficial, and that poverty and homelessness were described as if they were terminal illnesses as opposed to temporary states from which one can recover or escape.

Everyone promises to build low-income housing. But they don't say what they're going to do to help these people with the other problems that keep them in that housing. First of all, there are many public and private programs that help with housing, employment, health care, education. Our elected officials have done a miserable job of outreach to the poor and non-English speaking communities to make them aware of this assistance.

But we need to do more. I've proposed a variety of initiatives which you can read about on my website. These include short-term, emergency aid for the most needy. I would add $5 million to the State's rental assistance program, far more then my Democratic opponents have offered. That is just one example.

For the long term, we need to better utilize current services that help people find employment and education assistance. Furthermore, my mass transit rail projects will create many well-paying skilled and unskilled jobs across the State. I also want to bring more large employers to Maryland and have some ideas for how to do that. Our current Delegates have tried to chase large employers out of the State -such as Wal-Mart- and they lost our GM plant in Baltimore. They are silent on job creation.

What my opponents have said, is that they will raise taxes on the poor for a health plan that doesn't cover everyone. Furthermore, as our Delegates have done in the past, one has said she will form another commission on health care. Meanwhile, I have a health care plan.

My health plan provides healthcare for every person in the State of Maryland without raising taxes.

Finally, my housing plan treats Marylanders of every age, race, and income level as equal human beings. The goal of my plan is to offer each person the American dream of owning their own home. Whether people are from Maryland, Minnesota, or El Salvador, I would argue that the majority of them want to raise their family in a house. Not a cramped apartment over a Metro stop.

I hope we can start having a real discussion on poverty, make real progress, and lift people up instead of treating them as if they somehow are unqualified to participate in the opportunities America has to offer.

Saturday, I finally made it to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. I've never been to the fair so it was interesting to find out what it's like. There was a carnival with rides inside the entrance. Then the grandstands, which had a Demolition Derby Saturday night. Next you pass through an area with a lot of booths with those games that seem easy but take your money. And a lot of food that smells good. Before you reach the animal area, which smells bad. If you've been on a farm or at the zoo, you have an idea what it's like. Long walk. Finally, I reached the next vendor area where I eventually saw Ehrlich and Steele signs on a tent in the distance.

The Republican Party tent was very well organized, and all of the various literature, stickers, etc. were available on the different tables. When I got there, Jim Shalleck (running for State's Attorney in Montgomery County) and Gus Alzona (running for Congress here in District 8) were already hard at work campaigning. So was a volunteer for Michael Steele, who had been handing out Steele stickers since 2:00 on what was a blistering hot day until it started to cloud up at 7:00. Steele was very popular among the crowds at the fair, even moreso than Bob Ehrlich, which is more reason to believe he is going to do very well and be our next Senator. I think any party in any state wishes they had a candidate of the caliber of Michael Steele.

There was an endless stream of people coming past, but it wasn't so great for me. In almost 3 hours, I never encountered even one person from District 16. Needless to say, it was very disappointing in that respect. We just have a lack of events for candidates in District 16, and that prevents voters from getting to know the Republican challengers. But if you're running At-Large or in the upcounty area, you can get a huge number of voters to at least know who you are. Did I mention we have a lack of events in Bethesda? Yes, I'm really frustrated about that.

So while I didn't pick up any votes at the fair, I tried to at least help other candidates. I got about 9 or 10 potential votes for Scott. One man wanted to know who he could vote for in District 14 for Delegate, and I went to the back of the tent and got him the John Austin literature. And when he asked about the school board, I was able to hand him an Arquilla Ridgell bag (those bags were very popular, by the way). So there are two votes. And I think I got three votes for Amber Gnemi, and one or two for Shelly Skolnick, who are both running At-Large for County Council. Eventually, Bill Wittham (Delegate candidate) and his family were out front handing out his stickers. And I helped a mounted police officer get through the parking lot tape before I left. One other great thing about the location of the Republican tent, was that the railroad tracks are a short distance away so you can see trains going by.

I tried to take some pictures around the fair but managed to push the wrong button on some of the photos, meaning they were lost. The others didn't come out too well because I don't have a flash on my phone, and it was getting dark. The fair is probably a lot more fun if you're not there by yourself, and if you are a candidate running County- or Statewide, or in the upcounty area. Just unlimited potential voters. But if you're from District 16... So far, District 16 candidates have been marginalized in the campaign season. Really no events except Taste of Bethesda and Potomac Day, which are trivial compared to the Fair. I can't understand why Bethesda, and the downcounty in general, has so few big events. Besides all the big ones upcounty, Rockville has Hometown Holidays, Silver Spring and Takoma Park have some large events; it's really embarrassing for Bethesda. The Bethesda Urban Partnership Events calendar, the newspaper events calendars, etc., are good for a laugh. We don't even have July 4th anymore. Absolutely ridiculous. Just these dumb little arts and crafts events, where I guess you're supposed to work the crowd like an uninvited door-to-door salesman and feel like a complete moron. It's no wonder Republicans don't get elected here, when the public can't even have a chance to meet the candidates at events! I think that's another reason, besides the larger number of Republicans upcounty, that we've done better in that area: they have so many large events throughout the year up there. Otherwise, people only hear about the incumbents in the media and the spam they mail us at taxpayer expense from Washington, Annapolis, and Rockville.

And my opponents are too chicken to debate. With good reason! And zero candidate forums. Basically, the media, and the Democrats just want to run out the clock on the election. They won't be able to this time.

A recent decrease in Virginia Railway Express ridership has some questioning the future of commuter rail. I had to offer my two cents on the issue at the transportation blog on washingtonpost.com.

In addition to my comments there, the importance of building projects that meet demand and are convenient to use cannot be overstated. Metro is popular. Metrobus is not. But the free Bethesda 8 bus is a great success. Transit needs to take people where they want to go. It needs to get them there quickly and on schedule. The onboard conditions must be pleasant, comfortable, safe, and clean. In some cases, it should be free of charge. And it needs to come to the citizen. If people have to walk far or take more than one bus to access the system, they're not going to use it.

I have higher ridership standards than other mass transit proponents, because I acknowledge that the car is the American form of transportation. We'll never stop driving, no matter how expensive gas is or how long it takes to get there. After 9/11 and the age of terror threat levels, cars have never been more important as a personal transit system. But well thought out projects that meet the above qualifications will get significant numbers of people to utilize them. You might call it MPR, Maximum Possible Ridership. It's the realistic number, and while it's lower than the idealists' number, we have yet to reach it. Not even close. But with my transportation plan, we can.

Robert Dyer in action. Yes, that's me at the Board of Elections office in Twinbrook. And I've got a ways to go because the District 16 ballot isn't on that wall. It's on the other wall. Behind a bush. While trying to confirm my name on the ballot display, I found myself wondering what year it was. 2006 or 1906? There have been many changes to voter registration and voting recently, and it seems that some parts of the process are still in need of an update.

This setup is unnecessarily inconvenient for candidates and voters who want to preview and proofread the ballot before it is finalized. If you live in Bethesda or Clarksburg, it's really out of your way to go to Rockville in a 3 day challenge period. And the letter I received gave the impression that the method in the above photo was the only manner in which one could examine the ballot. Wouldn't it make sense in 2006 for the ballots to be on the internet?

Not only were the ballots not in order, and accessible only by the lawn in front of them, but I was also being accosted by swarms of insects the entire time. And there's a manhole someone could trip over. Now, being 34, and assuming I don't contract West Nile from the bug bites, I managed to survive. But this would be quite a hazard for senior citizens and the disabled. If there was another way for those individuals to check the ballot, it was not advertised in the letter. Which is like having a teletype number for deaf people and not printing it.

So I filed a complaint with the Board and the Montgomery County Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Officer. Two days later, I received a response from the County's Election Director, Margaret Jurgensen. She agreed that the ballots should be on the internet and that the Board will try to make that possible in the future. Also, she said that there were office hours on Saturday, July 29, during which the ballot was available on the counter inside the board office. Of course, those hours, as well as an apparent viewing opportunity during the Friday, July 28, office hours, were not advertised in the letter. Ms. Jurgensen says that she is directing the staff to update the letter to include this information.

I thank the board for clarifying this. And in the future, when you can examine the ballot online without driving to Twinbrook, remember to thank me.

I attended the GEICO candidates' open house yesterday in Chevy Chase. There was a good turnout of candidates, as it included all Districts in Montgomery County. I was the first candidate to arrive. I met two of my opponents for the first time, and it turns out that the majority of Delegate candidates are graduates of the University of Maryland. Including myself.

There were free hot dogs, chips, and a big cake that I think said, "Election 2006." A lot of people came for the hot dogs. There did turn out to be about 6 GEICO employees in District 16. One said he would definitely vote for me, and I'm hoping that the others will after considering my positions and agenda. I always say that my priorities are those of the community, and the issues people told me they were concerned about were those that my campaign is addressing.

For all of you regular viewers of the Rockville Channel, Bob Dorsey was there. But I should really stick to mentioning Republican candidates! At one point Howard Denis made an appearance, and I have to say that he has really gotten a lot done on major issues this year on the Council. Chuck Floyd was there. Scott Rolle, Amber Gnemi, Moshe Starkman, Jeff Stein, John Austin, John Joaquin, Chris Pilkerton, who am I forgetting? No, the Gecko was not there.

Yesterday, I attended two events. As my late grandmother would say, "two things in one day?" First, I managed to get out to Rockville for a Republican candidates' luncheon hosted by Dan Willard of the Central Committee. We went over some strategies and plans for the election. There was a good turnout, including County Executive candidate Chuck Floyd and the new, third delegate candidate here in District 16, Angela Markelonis. It was a very productive and informative luncheon.

Then, last evening, I attended a lovely reception for Chuck Floyd at the home of Issa and Nahid Khozeimeh. The Khozeimehs have been friends of my family for many years. This was by far the nicest campaign event I've been to, including the best food. Other candidates attending included Moshe Starkman, who was just nominated to run against Albert Wynn for Congress, Jeff Stein (running for Congress in District 8), and Tom Reinheimer (Central Committee chairman running for County Council - At Large). We each had a chance to speak, and there is a lot of optimism for our party's chances this year. It was a very nice evening, and many thanks to the Khozeimehs for hosting this.

This has been a very interesting 7 days. I attended the Candidate Reception at Republican Party HQ last Tuesday in Rockville, which was followed by the meeting of the Central Committee. About 14 candidates were nominated by the Committee, including my father, Dr. Robert F. Dyer, Jr. for State Senate - District 16. To state the obvious, this means that you can vote for my father for Senate, and for me for the House of Delegates on the same ballot. I'll add my father's site to the links on the right, as soon as it is online.

Something strange is going on at the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Besides running for Delegate in District 16, I also decided to run for the District 16 seat on the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee. At the time, there was only one candidate for the two District 16 seats. On Friday, June 30, I went to file at the County Board of Elections in Rockville. I faxed my candidate information ahead, and had all my completed forms with me.

Then on Monday (July 3), I heard that my name had not appeared on the Board's candidates list. But strangely, the names of other candidates who were still signing up when I left the Board office were listed. Hmm. I called the Board, and was transferred to the official who handled the filing on Friday. He told me, understandably, that they were "behind the eight ball," and that my name would appear on a later update.

This made it appear to the public that no one was running for the seat on the Central Committee. Suddenly, two additional candidates for the seat filed on July 3. Now, perhaps they were planning to run all along. But by not listing a candidate for a particular office, it might inspire people to file for what appears to be an open, uncontested seat. In this way, the County Board may have literally changed the dynamic of the race. And if that were the case, that is wrong.

Wait, it gets better. Today (July 5) I checked the State Board's candidate list, and guess what? I'm not on the list. And yet even those who filed at the 11th hour on July 3 are on the list. ?Que esta pasando? What's going on here? I am seeking a logical explanation for how I can be the only candidate who filed by June 30 that is not listed as running. It clearly was not lack of time, because the other names are listed. Someone had plenty of time to type all of those other names.

The important thing is to file and appear on the ballot, that's true. And, apparently, my name is on the County's list today. Great, now that I have opponents. But it seems to me that to leave some names off, and not process them in order of filing, has the real potential to change elections. I don't see why I should be treated as a second class of citizen by the Board, while all other candidates are listed.

MTA meeting, Part 2. The actual presentation was very impressive. Every possible option was represented on maps, artists' renderings, and even in computer graphics. I'm set on the rail option that will follow the Capital Crescent Trail, but there are many great ideas for the bus transitway that should be applied to existing bus transit.

One is a queue jump lane, which is reserved for buses at intersections. These allow the bus to be at the light when it turns green. Anyone who regularly drives through intersections like Colesville Rd and University Blvd. knows that it takes several light cycles to get past there. It was also interesting to see photos from Seattle, where they apparently have underground bus stations and tunnel systems. The fumes would be overwhelming, so I'm going to assume they run on something besides diesel fuel. But these would be great lower-cost options to use in addition to rail projects.

Some of the most impressive drawings were of the trestle that will carry the train over Rock Creek Park. It's not as tall as the former CSX trestle was, but a nice design for one of the very scenic spots along the route. Then there was the Transit Center for Langley Park. Just the idea of such a great facility there is refreshing. The residents there deserve this type of facility; it's long overdue. Some other proposals that stood out were the various bridge that will elevate the track over the Country Club and into downtown Silver Spring. It's important to note that the trail gets equal attention in these drawings, showing how they will coexist.

As a Maryland graduate, I have to say that maybe the UMCP station plans were the most exciting. I did not know previously that the train is going to arrive directly in the center of the campus! If only they had this when I was going there. It's a great example of designing a project that meets demand, and that people will actually want to use.

There's really too much to write about here. There were very informative reading materials given out, a realistic computer generated movie of buses driving from the University of Maryland down University Blvd through Langley Park and Silver Spring. I know the route well! I would have liked to see the animated movie of the train route, but the expert at that display said they didn't have it that night.

So, in conclusion, I am very impressed and I hope the Federal and State governments don't cop out and select the Bus Transitway option. If I'm elected, I will be working to make sure we get this world-class rail system built.

MTA meeting, Bethesda, June 19, 2006. After work, I set out for an MTA meeting RE: the Inner Purple Line. Or Bi-County Transitway, as they call it. First of all, let me say that I strongly support building the Purple Line; it is the crown jewel in my transportation plan. But to get back to my story, it took me almost 40 minutes to get from River Road to BCC High School in downtown Bethesda! Absolutely ridiculous. Wisconsin Avenue was the worst. People literally walked from near Bradley up to the Air Rights building faster than I drove. And I was trying to beat a storm rapidly approaching. Too late. Lightning was striking all around downtown Bethesda as I entered the BCC parking lot. Then the parking lot started flooding. There was no way I was getting out in this! I moved up to a higher area to wait it out. I saw a WAMU car and thought maybe I could get on the radio to talk about my campaign. But the reporter came out and left during the storm.

Finally the lightning and rain stopped, and I went in. At the door to the cafeteria were dueling organizations, Action Committee For Transit (who favor the Purple Line), and Save The Trail, who oppose it. I entered the room and signed in. There were many impressive displays and experts to answer questions. There were also people from the country club faction in Chevy Chase who oppose the Purple Line. One older woman gestured wildly at the map, questioning who ever came up with such a crazy plan. "And it's going to cross Connecticut Avenue?! During rush hour?!"

Next: MTA meeting, part 2

Mr. Dyer goes to Annapolis. Well, it was a week ago but I've been so busy getting this campaign started that I haven't had time to post here yet. So here's what's happened so far.

Friday, June 16, I drove to Annapolis to file my candidacy with the State Board of Elections. One recurring theme this first week has been gridlock, which is what I found on Military Road. Brilliant idea by the D.C. government to do roadwork during rush hour. On Friday. In summer. As I waited in slow-moving traffic to merge onto Rt. 50, the Amtrak Acela raced past. How appropriate as one of my top priorities, if elected, is to promote new rail projects all over the state. Starting with the Purple Line here.

Anyway, after another jam at the West St. exit, I arrive in Annapolis. There are still lots of car dealerships on West St. Toys r Us is gone. There's a space open near the building. I go up to the second floor and enter the suite. I turn left to go to the front desk and encounter... Tom Perez, Montgomery County Councilman and Attorney General candidate. On the clipboard, I notice that Mr. Perez and I are the only two candidates filing this day. The staff are very nice and it did not take long to file.

Outside again, I thought about the many times I rode down this street as a child. I never imagined I would one day be filing as a candidate here for the House of Delegates.

Next: MTA meeting in downtown Bethesda.