Democrats Led Four Frederick Council Districts in First Returns; Carter Led by 303 in District 5
Early voting and some mail ballots put Democrats ahead in Districts 1 through 4. District 5 had the smallest gap before Election Day precinct votes were added.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Conklin, Shopland, Benford and Duckett led Districts 1 through 4, respectively, in the initial count. In District 5, Carter had 3,224 votes and Mercer had 2,921. The figures cover district contests only; neither at-large seat is included.
District 5 produced the closest of Frederick County’s five district council contests in the first unofficial returns Tuesday night. Republican incumbent Mason Carter had 3,224 votes to Democrat Johnny Mercer’s 2,921. No Election Day precinct votes were included, The Frederick News-Post reported.
Carter’s early lead was 303 votes. He campaigned on lower property taxes and said he expected Republicans to gain ground when precinct results arrived. Mercer, who emphasized farmland protection and growth management, said the early showing encouraged him.
District 1: Democrat Louisa Conklin led Republican Frank Hollewa, 5,385 to 3,024. Conklin, a Brunswick biotechnology executive who opposed data center expansion, said residents she heard from wanted development to slow down.
District 2: Democrat Jamie Shopland had 4,636 votes to Republican Dan Iampieri’s 2,869. Both raised concerns about data centers during the campaign.
District 3: Democrat Christian Benford led Republican Tammie Baugher, 4,828 to 1,399. Benford pointed to affordability and public transportation as issues that connected with voters. Baugher, who focused on infrastructure, said she had expected a closer count.
District 4: Democratic incumbent Kavonté Duckett had 5,532 votes to Republican Chaz Packan’s 1,723. Duckett highlighted affordable housing; Packan called for lower taxes and elimination of the county’s data center overlay zone.
These were returns for the five district seats only. Two additional council members are elected at large. Further mail ballots and provisional ballots, as well as the Election Day precinct votes, remained outside this tally.
WHAT IT MEANS
The first count showed which district race was closest. It could not settle the makeup of the seven-member council.
Original reporting referenced by Everything Frederick:
Joseph DeBell, The Frederick News-Post, reporting on unofficial Nov. 3 election-night returns for Frederick County’s five council district races.
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