Annapolis, Md. — Democratic candidates held commanding leads across the mayor’s race and contested City Council wards after the Annapolis Board of Canvassers tallied mail-in ballots received so far on November 6, 2025, combining them with in-person votes from the November 4 general election. The first canvass, held at City Hall, processed drop-box and U.S. Postal Service submissions arriving by the deadline, pushing total votes cast above 8,600 in the mayor’s contest alone. A final canvass on November 12 at the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections in Glen Burnie will incorporate late-arriving mail-ins and provisionals before certification.
Jared Littmann, a Democrat and hardware store owner who served as Ward 5 alderman from 2013 to 2021, led the mayoral field with 6,312 votes to Republican Robert O’Shea’s 2,305. Littmann, 48, campaigned on a business-oriented platform emphasizing efficient city services, flood resilience at City Dock and collaborative budgeting with ward town halls. O’Shea, 62, a defense consultant and former city commissioner, focused on cutting spending by 10 percent through county service sharing and prioritizing police staffing without tax hikes.
In Ward 1, incumbent Democrat Harry Huntley, 45, the Finance Committee chair known for sidewalk expansions and ranked-choice voting advocacy, edged independent Thomas Krieck 976-877. Huntley pushed for short-term rental caps and property tax rate reductions via smarter procurement, while Krieck, a retired executive, advocated zero-based budgeting and stricter rental controls including a moratorium.
Ward 2 saw Democrat Karma O’Neill, 39, an events professional and Transportation Committee lead, ahead of Republican Kenneth Vincent 876-471. O’Neill prioritized traffic calming, micro-mobility expansions and mold remediation casework, contrasting Vincent’s calls as a retired FBI agent for police vacancy fills, parking fine eliminations and assessment caps.
Keanuu Smith-Brown, 32, a middle-school teacher and Democrat, led unaffiliated Michael Dye 567-164 in Ward 3. Smith-Brown emphasized budget transparency by ward, job training access and mental health supports for the unhoused, while Dye, an engineer and council watcher, opposed infill housing expansions and favored taxpayer protections.
Democrat Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson, 55, ran unopposed in Ward 4 with 448 votes. The community advocate, who won her primary by four votes, will focus on constituent-driven priorities once seated.
Incumbent Democrat Brooks Schandelmeier, 44, a health policy expert, topped Republican Jack Papaleonti 597-326 in Ward 5. Schandelmeier supported accessory dwelling units for attainable housing and child care tax credits, differing from Papaleonti’s real estate broker stance on density limits in high-traffic areas and first-responder tax breaks.
In Ward 6, Democrat Diesha Contee, 28, a community navigator, outpaced Republican George Gallagher 403-158. Contee targeted recreation center upgrades, youth programs and environmental justice like bike lanes, while Gallagher, a biotech professional, stressed police presence, tree plantings and utility bill reductions.
Democrat Robert Savidge, 51, secured Ward 7 unopposed with 795 votes. The environmental steward will continue ward services emphasis from prior terms.
Ward 8 Democrat Frank Thorp, 68, a retired Navy rear admiral and maritime advocate, led independent Will Cunha 1,043-612. Thorp championed waterfront protections and traffic plans for events, against Cunha’s cybersecurity expert push for entrepreneur hubs and service request tracking.
The canvass unfolded under Maryland Election Law Article 11-301, where the local board doubles as canvassers to review ballots for validity without revealing voter intent. Teams of two from different parties verified signatures, postmarks and seals on envelopes, duplicating unreadable ballots if needed. Rejections require unanimous board votes, typically for unsigned oaths or late arrivals beyond the second Friday post-election. Observers watched from designated areas, submitting challenges via forms for board review. For municipal races like Annapolis’s, the process mirrors state guidelines but operates under city code, with the county board hosting finals for chain-of-custody efficiency.
Mail-ins comprised about 32 percent of mayor votes so far, reflecting a statewide trend where early and absentee balloting hit 15 percent in 2024 generals. Annapolis’s 2025 turnout hovered near 25 percent of roughly 22,000 registered voters based on preliminary in-person figures, below the city’s 2020 municipal rate of 28 percent but above the 2022 primary’s 12 percent. Factors included term limits barring four incumbents and Mayor Gavin Buckley’s exit after 12 years, drawing fresh contenders amid debates on development and fiscal restraint.
Key issues driving the cycle centered on City Dock flood protections, estimated at $80 million with ongoing designs for a maritime welcome center that divided candidates on costs and litigation risks. Housing affordability pitted duplex allowances against neighborhood preservation, while public safety calls amplified after a 12 percent rise in violent crimes reported in 2024. Tax policies split along party lines, with Republicans pushing a 2 percent assessment cap to match county practice and spending cuts, versus Democrats’ focus on rate stability through grants and efficiency. Parking reforms, from fine reductions to event traffic plans, and environmental equity like tree canopies in underserved wards rounded out platforms.
Annapolis, Maryland’s capital with 39,000 residents, divides into eight wards blending historic districts like Eastport with waterfront developments. The council, elected every four years in off-cycle generals, shapes policies on the Chesapeake Bay’s edge, influencing regional tourism and naval ties at the U.S. Naval Academy. This election’s Democratic sweeps align with the city’s 65 percent Democratic registration, though independents gained traction in primaries via ranked-choice explorations. Certification on November 12, starting at 10 a.m. at 6740 Baymeadow Drive, remains public, allowing input on any disputes before winners assume seats in December.
Voter guides from local outlets highlighted the races’ stakes for resilience projects funded partly by state bonds, underscoring Annapolis’s role in broader Chesapeake restoration efforts. As mail-ins trickle in — permitted postmark by November 4 and receipt by November 14 — margins like Ward 1’s 99-vote gap could shift, though leads suggest minimal drama. The board’s transparency, including daily updates, aids trust in a process refined post-2020 audits that boosted mail-in acceptance rates to 98 percent statewide.
