Dolores Reyes, GOP Candidate for Register of Wills, Plans to Raise Public Awareness about the Office

By Deborah Lambert

One of the most arcane political offices in Maryland is the Register of Wills, which oversees and administers the various duties involved with estates and heirs. While it serves an important function by making sure that property from decedents is properly distributed to heirs and inheritance taxes are paid, it’s not a position that is familiar to most people, even though there is a Register of Wills in every county and the city of Baltimore. In fact, the very mention of this office may prompt a response of “What in the world is the Register of Wills?”

However, if Dolores Reyes, the current GOP candidate for Register of Wills, is elected to fill this four-year position in Montgomery County, its low-profile image will be in for a change, since she plans to focus on building public awareness about the office. “I believe the taxpayers of this county deserve to know more about this office and understand what services it can provide,” noted Reyes, who explained that another reason she is running for Register of Wills is to provide a sharp contrast with the incumbent, who has held the office for over 20 years. 

Reyes plans to focus on reaching out to county citizens, building personal relationships and establishing a better public understanding and appreciation of how the office can help families successfully deal with end-of-life situations. Since the current officeholder is not a well-known figure, she believes that the time is ripe to get out into the communities, establish more of a personal presence among Montgomery County citizens and educate them about the multitude of services and legal oversight that this office provides and how to access them.  

She also plans to conduct a series of quarterly information exchange seminars throughout the county so that citizens will more fully understand the wealth of information available to them.

Reyes’s political experience and career accomplishments include the following:

• Maryland Treasurer of the Black Republican Council
• Member of the MCGOP Central Committee
• Commissioner Judicial Nominating Commission, 11th District Maryland
• African-American Outreach Coordinator for Trump Campaign in Northern Virginia
• Reagan White House Appointee, Department of Commerce

The Office of Register of Wills is a public office that was established under the Maryland Constitution. According to Maryland.gov, the Constitution provides for a Register from each county and the City of Baltimore elected by qualified voters for a four-year term of office at the time of the gubernatorial election.

More interesting facts about the Register of Wills are available at The Maryland Office of the Register of Wills.