Wanika Fisher, Eric Olson and Wala Blegay claimed victories in the final three Prince George’s County Council races to be decided after last week’s primary elections, potentially cementing a new liberal majority on the council. Fisher, a lawyer and former state delegate, led Victor Ramirez by just under 500 votes in unofficial results for the District 2 race. In District 3, Olson, a community developer and former County Council member, led Eve Shuman, a former regional director for Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). In District 6, Blegay, an attorney, bested five challengers, trailed most closely by Denise Smith, the communications director for Prince George’s State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
Prince George’s council poised to see new liberal majority
State Board of Elections member dies, creating multiple uncertainties
Malcolm L. Funn, one of two Democratic members of the State Board of Elections, died unexpectedly Tuesday of complications from hernia surgery. He was 77. The Calvert County resident’s death comes at a critical time for the state elections board, as it works to certify the results from the July 19 primaries and sets rules and procedures for the upcoming general election — and it adds some uncertainty to the board’s short-term agenda and work product.
How’d they do it? A look at where in Maryland voters lifted Democrat Wes Moore and Republican Dan Cox to victory
It was the first day of early voting in Maryland — more than a week before the actual primary day and two weeks before he’d be declared the Democratic winner — but Wes Moore was already dancing. In dark dress pants and a light purple polo shirt, the gubernatorial candidate held a campaign flyer in one hand and snapped his fingers with the other, moving in sync with a handful of supporters near an intersection.
Montgomery County considering shift to all-electric building standard, part of growing decarbonization efforts
Montgomery County is considering whether to shift to an all-electric building standard, a decarbonization effort that would be the first of its kind in Maryland. If the proposed bill passes, Maryland’s largest county would become the third jurisdiction on the East Coast to enact this type of legislation, joining a growing number of local governments across the country, according to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
Addition of nonbinary candidate category adds confusion, hope for Maryland voting process
Tia Hopkins’ campaign for the Democratic Central Committee has been called historic and inspiring, but the nonbinary candidate’s bid in District 40 has generated deep discussions about gender roles and equity in electoral politics. Hopkins, 33, a lifelong resident of West Baltimore, is attempting to make history as the first openly nonbinary candidate elected to the committee, which is the governing body of the Maryland Democratic Party. The term nonbinary refers to people who don’t identify with a particular gender.
Roya Hanna to drop out of Baltimore state’s attorney race, paving clear path for Democratic nominee Ivan Bates in general election
Defense attorney and former prosecutor Roya Hanna is ending her independent candidacy for Baltimore state’s attorney, all but ensuring Democratic nominee Ivan Bates will become the city’s next elected prosecutor. Hanna had dropped out of the Democratic primary race in March but planned to run as an independent in November’s general election. There are no Republicans running for state’s attorney.
Baltimore County State’s Attorney is taking time off after election, not stepping away from leadership role, office says
Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger is taking time off after his reelection effort, but is not stepping away from his role leading the county’s prosecutors, his office said Thursday. Shellenberger, 63, had decided to take time away to “detach a bit” after ballots were cast, and plans to return to the office the week after next, his office said in a written statement released hours after a news account reported him stepping away, citing exhaustion.
Montgomery plans to continue counting ballots into the weekend
Montgomery County election officials plan to continue counting ballots into the weekend, with thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots in the gubernatorial primary left to count before a winner can be named in the Democratic primary for county executive and other local races. Under Maryland law, each county has until the second Friday after the election, or two days after it completes its count, to certify and send local results to the state.
Wins, losses and close calls among Baltimore City and County General Assembly races
The statewide race for governor may have attracted the most attention this election season, but all 188 seats in the General Assembly also are up for grabs. Here’s a district-by-district look at where things stood as of Thursday among House and Senate races in Baltimore City and County, and a peek at who’s running in November. Neither the city nor the county counted votes Thursday, but they will resume Friday.
Maryland state Del. Impallaria charged with theft, misconduct in office
Maryland state Del. Richard Impallaria, a Republican who has represented parts of Harford and Baltimore counties, has been charged with multiple criminal counts related to inappropriate use of state funds for a district office and office furniture, prosecutors announced Wednesday. The Office of the State Prosecutor charged Impallaria in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court on Wednesday with three counts of misconduct in office, two counts of fraudulent misappropriation of funds by a fiduciary, and one count each of theft between $25,000 and $100,000 and theft between $1,500 and $25,000.