Update: Bickel builds lead over McDowell for Democratic nomination for sheriff

Jul. 20—Karl Bickel built a 3,000-vote lead over Dan McDowell in the Democratic nomination for Frederick County sheriff Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with mail-in ballots yet to be counted.

With early voting and Primary Election Day ballots tallied, Bickel stood at 7,333 votes and McDowell at 4,181, according to unofficial Maryland state election data early Wednesday morning.

Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, running unopposed for the Republican nomination, had 15,609 votes.

Mail-in ballots, however, will not start being counted until Thursday.

The numbers of mail-in ballots mailed to Frederick County voters as of Monday were:

— Democrats: 14,657

— Republicans: 5,395

— Other: 3,335

— Total: 23,387

McDowell was feeling optimistic as results trickled in late through the night.

"I'm definitely feeling hopeful," he said just before 10 p.m. Tuesday. "I want to win."

McDowell visited polling places during the day and said he would head to bed early Tuesday to rise early the next day — his normal routine.

"Everybody who supported me, I very much appreciate all their help," McDowell said. "To have people that believe in me is almost overwhelming."

Bickel said it was too early to claim victory, but called the numbers "extremely promising" at about 10 p.m. Tuesday. He said he stopped by county executive candidate Jessica Fitzwater's election watch party.

While polls were open, Bickel said, he handed out cold water to anyone who wanted it. He said some voters stopped him in his travels to shake his hand and thank him for running.

Bickel said he was thankful to see McDowell run and share his thoughts.

"No matter what the party is, participation is what's important in our democracy," Bickel said.

This election marks Bickel's third run for sheriff.

Bickel, a Monrovia resident, spent roughly 13 years as a police officer between the Metropolitan Police Department in D.C. and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. He retired around 2014 from the Department of Justice after 16 years, during which he worked as a senior policy analyst in the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Bickel has also taught criminal justice at Allegany College of Maryland and at Montgomery College.

McDowell, of Frederick, is a political newcomer. He is a corporal in the crime scene unit at the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. McDowell has nearly 20 years of experience as a police officer, the bulk of which he has spent at the sheriff's office. He got his start with the Takoma Park Police.

At the sheriff's office, McDowell worked for about 10 years in patrol and two years in the community services unit before moving to crime scene work.

The sheriff, first elected in 2006, is hoping for a fifth term. Jenkins, of Lewistown, has spent his entire 32-year law enforcement career at the sheriff's office. He started out as a deputy in patrol, then devoted 16 years to criminal investigations. He has also served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.

Under Jenkins' leadership, the sheriff's office entered into a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program starting in 2008.

In a June interview, Jenkins described 287(g) as "probably the largest single election issue" in the sheriff's race.

The 287(g) program allows ICE to train law enforcement officers to ask about the immigration status of those booked at jails. In Frederick County, only correctional officers are trained to ask about the immigration status of inmates at the Adult Detention Center. More than 1,600 criminals have been placed into deportations by ICE through the 287(g) program at FCSO, according to Jenkins.

Bickel has said he would end the 287(g) program if elected. McDowell said he needs to learn more about deportation criteria before he could make a decision, but expressed skepticism of the program.

In other Frederick County races, unofficial early voting and Primary Election Day results were as follows:

Clerk of the circuit court

—Republican Sandra K. Dalton and Democrat Megan LeRoux ran unopposed in the primary. Dalton had 13,783 votes, while LeRoux had 9,874 votes.

State's attorney

—Charlie Smith, a Republican, is running unopposed for reelection. He had 13,919 votes.

Register of wills

—In the race for the Republican nomination, Mary C. Rolle had 9,641 votes and Nate Wilson had 4,848 votes. Democrat Chris Manners, who was unopposed, had 9,766 votes.

Judge of the orphans' court

Three Republican candidates and three Democratic candidates are running unopposed for three seats. Republicans Wesley T. Gregory had 10,730 votes, Jimmy W. Trout had 11,630 votes and Susan W. Wilson had 11,077. Democrats Bonnie L. Nicholson had 8,956, Michael A. Powell had 8,387 and Marvin Schwab had 7,906.

Circuit court judge

Kathleen Diane English is unopposed. She had 13,052 votes from Republicans and 9,811 from Democrats.

Winners of the primaries advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller