Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-07
2Wornen Seek
Charles County
Registrar Post
Contest Is First
Of Kind in History
Of Maryland Area
By Alex R. Preston
Sfor StoH Correspondent

LA PLATA, Md, June For the
first time in history, Charles County
will have two women seeking the
same Office in a contest which
promises to hold the main interest
in the general election following the
June "a primaries.
The contenders are the first and
second women, respectively, ever to
hold an elective ONCE in the county
government.
Mrs. Ruth Carpenter, Indianhead
mother of eight and a Democrat, is
seeking reelection for a fourth
term as registrar of wills. She is
virtually certain to be opposed by
Mrs. Evelyn Posey, mother of two
and now treasurer, who is seeking
the Republican nomination for the
registrars post. Both are unopposed
In their own party's primary.
A situation interesting to voters
Of both parties has developed in this
race. In 1884, Mrs. Carpenter became
the first woman to be elected to
Office locally. At that time and again
in 1898 she defeated George A.
Wade, a Republican, for the Office.
Wade Again Nominated.
In the forthcoming primary, the
Republicans have entered Mr.. Wade
as the unopposed candidate for Mrs.
Posey's Office and, in turn, Mrs.
Posey is unopposed for the registrar
Of wills nomination.
Thus far. both of the candidates
have worked quietly soliciting sup
port from among their friends.
Mrs. Posey would appear to have
the advantage inasmuch as Charles
County additionally is Republican
stronghold and the Democrats con-
tend this is due to a relatively large
colored vote which normally sup
ports most COP candidates. APP
proximately '3,400 Democrats are
registered, whereas there is about
an equal number of qualified COL
ored voters. The Democrats say
that the Republican majority within
the past six or eight years has been
cut from $500 to 500. There are
but two Democratic Office holders
in Charles County government to-
day-Mrs. Carpenter and States At
torney Edwin j. Edelen, La Plata,
who has served continuously since
1928 and against whom the Repub-
licans have not entered candidate
for the primary.
Mrs. Carpenter, however, at
tributes a strong colored vote which
she previously has polled to trag-
edy many years ago. In January,
1927, her husband, an employe of
the Naval Powder Factory at In
dian Head, was leaving his job at
midnight when two colored youths
held him up and shot him. The
youths, Arthur Swami and Otto
Simmons. were convicted and
Still Needs Income.
At that time Mrs. Carpenter was
the mother Of seven daughters
ranging in ages up to IL years and
the eighth baby girl was born shortly
after her husbands death. Today
five of her daughters are married,
but she says she needs the income
that the Office provides.
In past elections" she said, "a
lot of the ,colored people have sup
ported me, just as if they were try
ing to make amends. OF course that
has been quite a while ago now, and
maybe some of the younger genera
ton will not remember, but I shall
be grateful for all the support I
can get
Mrs. Carpenters brother, incl
dentally. is r. Vernon Cooksey,
Mount Vernon merchant, who is the
Republicans unopposed candidate
for the House Of Delegates nomina-
ton.
Mrs. Posey, who formerly was
deputy treasurer, became treasurer
in December last year following the
death of the incumbent, Russell T..
Howard. She had served as deputy
since March, 1913, and before that
was in charge of the Welfare Board.