[1][2] Halliday was a city council member for 10 years prior to her election as mayor.
She pursued graduate work in journalism and urban studies at the University of Maryland.
She has worked as a writer/editor for the Cecil Whig in Maryland, and for a California insurance company, retiring from that position in 2008 after 29 years.
[5] In November 2018, Halliday was re-elected to second term as Mayor, defeating Council member and college instructor Mark Salinas.
In 2014, Halliday was elected Mayor with 39% of the vote, compared to 32% for Salinas, 22% for Council member Francisco Zermeño and 7% for Rakesh Kumar Christian.