The woman who has served as Register of Wills Linda Munley's deputy for the past 18 years is hoping for a shot at the top job.
Jessup resident Fran Kovaleski said Friday she is seeking the Democratic nomination for register of wills in the May 21 primary.
In announcing her candidacy, Ms. Kovaleski, 64, of 922 Martin Drive, cited her on-the-job experience and the role she has played in modernizing the register of wills office and digitizing its records. When she joined Ms. Munley in 1995, the office was still using typewriters and paper ledgers.
"I want to keep this forward momentum going here, just keep what we've done moving in that direction," she said. "I believe I can do it in the fashion we've always done it. We have always been a nonpolitical office quietly going about the business of the taxpayer."
Although most of the records filed with the register of wills, marriage license bureau and clerk of orphans' court since the county's founding have been scanned and are available to the public online, there are still more to go, Ms. Kovaleski said.
"We have a few projects that are not complete, and I would like to finish those," she said.
Ms. Kovaleski is in the race with the knowledge that, even if she wins the Democratic nomination, there may not be an office to run for in the fall.
A proposed referendum backed by the county commissioners would ask primary voters whether they want to amend the Home Rule Charter to abolish the register of wills and three other elected row offices - recorder of deeds, clerk of judicial records and sheriff. The question's appearance on the ballot is still pending.
"I'm running with the idea of, 'Let the voters speak,'" Ms. Kovaleski said. "One, we still don't know if this (question) is going to be on the ballot and, two, if I don't take out petitions and file, there is no chance of me holding the office. I'm going with the assumption that no one knows what is going to happen.
"I said that once I made my decision to run, I was going to run and whatever happened would happen."
She said she believes there should be a slower pace and a broader public conversation about the pros and cons before the row offices are eliminated. She pointed out the register of wills office more than pays for itself, generating $380,000 to $400,000 in revenue over expenses annually.
"You can't dismantle government and then try to put it back together. It's like Humpty Dumpty. You have to have a plan," she said.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com