Byron Macfarlane Files to Run For Register of Wills

Byron Macfarlane has filed to run for Register of Wills. This sets up what might be one of the more competitive races in Howard County in the 2010 election cycle. Incumbent Kay Hartleb is one of the last Republicans elected countywide. She has served as Register of Wills for the past 23 years and we all know how hard it is to defeat an incumbent, much less one that has served for over 2 decades. Yet Byron Macfarlane brings to the table a specialty in wills, estates, and trusts and a vision to make the Register of Wills office more accessible:

From Byron's website:

Howard County residents deserve improved access to the Office of the Register. Whether it is in person, over the phone, or online, I am committed to Howard County residents having improved access to important information and more easily finding answers to their questions.

I will overhaul the Register of Wills website for Howard County to provide detailed explanations of the services of the office, the probate process, filing requirements, information on estate and inheritance taxes, announcements about where and when I and my staff will be in your community, and links to other resources that are helpful to residents. I have posted some of these links on this website. I will also work with other Registers of Wills around the state, and the Attorney General’s office, to explore implementing an e-filing system that would expedite estate administration, cut down on costs to families, and reduce environmental waste.

I have know Byron for a number of years and he is someone with a deep passion for service and making people's life easier. When you combine this with his vision and deep roots in Howard County and this shapes up to be a potentially very competitive election.