This story will be updated as results come in. Results as of 9:11 p.m. Nov. 3, with 11 of Charles’ 34 Election Day precincts reporting plus early and mail-in ballots. Results as of 10:50 p.m. Nov. 3, with all 34 of Charles’ Election Day precincts reporting plus early and mail-in ballots. Charles’ count was unchanged as of 12:39 a.m. Nov. 4; statewide figures are as of 12:39 a.m. See updates and corrections at the end of this story.
LA PLATA — Democrat Amanda Stewart held a commanding lead for Charles County commissioner president in early returns Tuesday night, 26,453 votes to 6,961 for Republican Joe Crawford, or 78.9% to 20.8% with all precincts reporting late Tuesday, 44,896 votes to 13,573 for Republican Joe Crawford, or 76.6% to 23.2%, according to unofficial State Board of Elections results.
Democrats led every contested county race by wide margins, putting the party on track to keep all five commissioner seats, at least 25 percentage points in each commissioner race. The closest contests on the Charles ballot were for the nonpartisan Board of Education.
The presidency was open because Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II ran for the 5th District congressional seat instead of seeking another term, according to the Maryland Association of Counties. Stewart, the District 3 commissioner, won a three-way Democratic primary in June with about 51%, which opened her district seat. Crawford was unopposed in his primary, the Chronicle reported.
The five-member board sets the county budget, property tax rate and land-use rules. The president is elected countywide; the four district commissioners are elected by voters in their own districts.
County commissioners
In District 1, Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling, who survived his June primary by about one percentage point, led Republican Walton “Walt” Merchant with 66% 63%. In District 2, Democrat Brandon A. Paulin led Republican Eric Reed with 81% 78%; Reed was designated by the Republican Central Committee in August after the party’s original nominee withdrew. In the open District 3 seat, Democrat McKayla Wilkes led Republican Julian D. Clark with 89% 87%. In District 4, Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II led unaffiliated candidate Eric Vrem and Green Party nominee Artiium Arbyummi with 78% 77%.
Race Candidate Party Votes Pct. President Amanda Stewart Democrat 26,453 44,89678.9% 76.6%President Joe Crawford Republican 6,961 13,57320.8% 23.2%District 1 Gilbert “BJ” Bowling Democrat 5,644 9,93266.0% 62.8%District 1 Walton “Walt” Merchant Republican 2,878 5,84733.7% 37.0%District 2 Brandon A. Paulin Democrat 6,069 11,97680.8% 78.4%District 2 Eric Reed Republican 1,426 3,26619.0% 21.4%District 3 McKayla Wilkes Democrat 6,426 12,30689.0% 86.9%District 3 Julian D. Clark Republican 786 1,83410.9% 13.0%District 4 Ralph E. Patterson II Democrat 7,918 10,43677.5% 77.0%District 4 Eric Vrem Unaffiliated 1,926 2,62518.9% 19.4%District 4 Artiium Arbyummi Green 325 4503.2% 3.3%as of 9:11 p.m. as of 10:50 p.m., all 34 precincts. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections
Board of Education
Voters choose two school board members in each of the four commissioner districts. Transportation problems, test scores and budgets topped candidates’ concerns in a Capital News Service survey this fall.
The tightest race was in District 1, where Shawna Marks held the second seat over Henry Thompson by 160 185 votes. In District 2, Jamila Smith and Eileen G. Parks led. In District 3, Dottery A. Butler-Washington and Nicole M. Kreamer led. District 4 had only two candidates for its two seats.
District Candidate Votes Pct. 1 Bernadette Smith 3,325 6,04930.2% 30.0%1 Shawna Marks 2,938 5,41926.7% 26.9%1 Henry Thompson 2,778 5,23425.3% 26.0%1 Samichie K. Thomas 1,817 3,18716.5% 15.8%2 Jamila Smith 3,725 7,32033.1% 32.9%2 Eileen G. Parks 3,140 5,86827.9% 26.4%2 Jason Henry 2,621 5,09923.3% 22.9%2 Joseph W. Sampson Jr. 1,662 3,75914.8% 16.9%3 Dottery A. Butler-Washington 4,090 7,36335.9% 33.4%3 Nicole M. Kreamer 3,023 5,59726.5% 25.4%3 Christopher O.J. Alberts 2,383 4,82720.9% 21.9%3 Aqsa Siddique 1,829 4,15216.1% 18.8%4 Denise M. Joseph 7,775 10,28654.3% 54.8%4 Michael “Mike” Lukas 6,312 8,21544.1% 43.7%as of 9:11 p.m. as of 10:50 p.m., all 34 precincts. Source: Maryland State Board of Elections
Row offices and courts
State’s Attorney Anthony “Tony” Covington, Sheriff Troy Berry and Clerk of the Circuit Court candidate Lisa E. Yates, all Democrats, had no opponent on the ballot. For Register of Wills, Democrat Loraine Davies Hennessy led Republican Latisha Shorter 27,482 to 6,105 46,399 to 12,282.
For three Orphans’ Court seats, Democrats Darlene M. Breck (24,356 40,530), Tisha R. Tyler (23,842 39,957) and Russell Yates (23,235 38,571) led Republican Angela Parker (7,851 15,322). Judge Dan Friedman of the Appellate Court of Maryland was winning retention in Charles with 84% 82.2% yes votes.
State and federal races on Charles ballots
Governor. Statewide, Gov. Wes Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller led Republican Dan Cox and running mate Rob Krop 64.5% to 31.8% with 306 of 1,979 62.7% to 33.1% with 1,585 of 1,979 62.1% to 33.6% with 1,884 of 1,979 Election Day precincts reporting. Moore had 74% 70.8% in Charles.
Congress, 5th District. Democrat Adrian Boafo led Republican Chris Chaffee districtwide, 71.3% to 28.0%, with 35 of 227 67.7% to 31.7%, with 174 of 227 67.5% to 31.8%, with 201 of 227 Election Day precincts reporting, in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer. Boafo had 77% 74.3% in Charles. He won a 24-candidate Democratic primary in June that included Collins.
General Assembly. These are Charles votes only., except where districtwide totals are noted.
- Senate District 28: Democrat C.T. Wilson, unopposed,
23,46640,692. - Senate District 27: Democrat Kevin M. Harris
4,5417,529, Republican Al Larsen1,2262,002 in Charles. Districtwide, Harris led 61.5% to 38.4% with 26 of 34 precincts reporting. - House District 28 (three seats): Democrats Debra Davis (
19,92433,629), Abena Affum-McAllister (19,57132,679) and Edith J. Patterson (18,91131,589) led Republicans James Emerson Ashburn (5,92511,825) and Winfield W. Clark Jr. (5,65011,098) (voter guide). - House District 27A: Democrat Darrell C. Odom Sr.
4,5167,454, Republican Jim Crawford1,2502,066 in Charles.
Statewide ballot questions
Voters statewide decided three proposed amendments to the Maryland Constitution, described here by the State Board of Elections. Charles had no local questions. Statewide results are with 306 1,585 1,884 of 1,979 precincts reporting.
- Question 1, requiring the governor’s budget to fund collective bargaining agreements with state employees, including terms set by a neutral decision-maker:
74.8%74.7%74.6% for statewide;76.4%78.2% for in Charles. - Question 2, allowing temporary substitute members on the Commission on Judicial Disabilities:
67.9%66.9%66.6% for statewide;67.7%68.8% for in Charles. - Question 3, letting the General Assembly give the Supreme Court of Maryland original jurisdiction over congressional maps and stating that the constitution sets no criteria for congressional boundaries:
60.9%60.0%59.7% for statewide;66.6%68.5% for in Charles.
What ‘unofficial’ means
All results in this story are unofficial and come from the State Board of Elections’ Charles County results page. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 that arrive after Election Day, along with provisional ballots, are counted at later canvasses this month and can shift close races. The new board and other county officials take office in December.
Updates and corrections
- 10:55 p.m. Nov. 3: Updated all results to the State Board of Elections count as of 10:50 p.m., with all 34 Charles Election Day precincts reporting. No leader changed in any race. Earlier figures are shown struck through.
- Correction, 10:55 p.m. Nov. 3: An earlier version said Democrats were on track to keep all five commissioner seats. That statement assumed the makeup of the current board and is shown struck through.
- 12:50 a.m. Nov. 4: Charles County results were unchanged as of the state’s 12:39 a.m. update. Updated statewide totals for governor (1,884 of 1,979 precincts), the 5th Congressional District (201 of 227 precincts) and the three ballot questions. Earlier figures are shown struck through.
