Aberdeen residents turned in their petition to put the 523-acre Wetlands Golf Course annexation to a popular vote Thursday, boasting they had gathered twice the required signatures.
If the Harford County Board of Elections finds that at least 1,500 of the signatures are valid ? 20 percent of registered voters ? the annexation, which would open the way to an estimated 1,000 new houses, condos and townhomes, will be put on the ballot.
The vote probably would be between the September primary and November general elections.
Charles Wallace, a member of the anti-annexation group, said 40 volunteers gathered more than 3,000 signatures. Their initial survey comparing the signatures to lists of registered voters seemed to show that 70 to 80 percent of the signatures would be valid, Wallace said.
“Turning in 3,000 signatures is a clear message to the politicians that this is something we don?t want,” Wallace said.
At Aberdeen City Hall, a complex dance of papers, signatures and stamps ensued as the city clerk numbered each page, a deputy clerk imprinted with the city?s seal, Councilman Dave Yensan stamped the date, the opposition group?s attorney checked and then Board of Elections official Kim Atkins counted them.
Atkins also stamped and sealed an envelope full of forms made available by developer Sam Smedley allowing citizens who felt the project or the petition had been misrepresented to request their signatures be removed.
However, the rules for removing signatures from petitions only govern state and county elections, said Carolyn Evans, the opposition group?s attorney.
Smedley was also present at the petition handoff, but felt that a popular vote could still go in his favor if voters can be convinced the annexation would be in the city?s favor.
“With BRAC coming, this could be a win-win for the city,” he said. “The golf course can?t stay in its present condition. … The golf business doesn?t support itself anymore.”
