Councilmember Hans Riemer interviewed during a post-election party at the Quarry House Tavern. Photo by Mike Diegel.
Councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At Large) holds a slight lead over businessman David Blair in the race for the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County Executive.
As of shortly before 1 a.m., unofficial results from the State Board of Elections showed Elrich leading, 34,729-34,277 (29.2 percent-28.9 percent), with 251 of 255 precincts reporting. The SBE is not reporting the number of absentee or provisional ballots outstanding.
The winner will face Republican Robin Ficker, who ran unopposed.
In the race for Council Council at-large nominations, the top four are incumbent Hans Riemer (D-At Large) with 50,205 votes (12.2 percent), followed by Silver Spring attorney Will Jawando (40,398 votes, 9.8 percent), Gandhi Brigade Executive Director Evan Glass (32,712 votes, 7.9 percent), and Gabe Albornoz, the county’s recreation director (30,229 votes, 7.3 percent).
“In this age of President Trump, where I can be refused service because of whom I love, the significance of being the first LGBTQ nominee to the Montgomery County Council sends a loud and clear message that hate has no home here,” said Glass in an email. “I vow to be a voice for all of our minority communities and disenfranchised groups.”
Just four Republican candidates—Robert Dyer, Chris Fiotes Jr., Penny Musser and Shelly Skolnick—ran in that party’s primary and will automatically appear on the general election ballot.
In the race for County Council District 5, incumbent Tom Hucker won easily with more than two-thirds of the vote over Kevin Harris and Kenge Malikidogo-Fludd. No Republican ran in that party’s district primary, so Hucker will be unopposed in the November election.
State Del. Jeff Waldstreicher collected nearly 50 percent of the vote in the District 18 state Senate Democratic primary, defeating Dana Beyer and Michelle Carhart. He will be unopposed in November.
Democratic state Del. Ben Kramer will face Republican Alirio Martinex Jr. in the Distrcit 19 general election for state Senate. Both ran unopposed in the primary. Incumbent Sen. Will Smith was unopposed in the District 20 Democratic primary and will run against Republican Dwight Patel, also unopposed, in November.
Takoma Park’s Lorig Charkoudian will join District 20 incumbent state Dels. David Moon and Jheanelle Wilkins on the Democratic side of the general election and the three will not face any Republican opposition.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the trust of the District 20 voters,” said Charkoudian , who’s the executive director of Community Mediation Maryland. “This is such an incredible community and I look forward to working with the amazing advocates in this community and across the state to build a more just and inclusive Maryland.”
In the District 18 Democratic primary for state delegate, Al Carr, Emiliy Shetty and Jared Solomon were the top three candidates and will face a lone Republican, Linda Willard, in the general election.
Incumbent state Del. Maricé Ivette Morales was defeated in the District 19 Democratic primary, finishing fourth behind incumbent Del. Bonnie Cullison, Charlotte Crutchfield and Vaughan Stewart. Three Republicans—Helen Domenici, Dave Pasti, and Martha Schaerr—were the only candidates in that primary and will appear on the November ballot.