Candidates surge in Harford County council and state legislature races after first batch of mail-in vote counting; most races remain unchanged

Jason Fontelieu, The Aegis, Bel Air, Md.
·4 min read

Jul. 22—The Harford County Board of Elections has completed its first of three canvasses to count the mail-in ballots for this year's midterm primary election.

One of the most significant updates is the Republican race for the District D County Council seat. James Reilly, the county's clerk of the circuit court, now leads opponent John B. Carl, Jr. by one vote — 2,765 to 2,764, giving each candidate about 39% of the vote.

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Carl's 40.9% originally led over Reilly's 37.3% after early voting and Election Day totals. Jean Salvatore ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The next canvasses will take place July 27 and July 29. All votes should be canvassed by July 29, according to the Board of Elections.

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The status of many of the other county races remains the same. State Sen. Bob Cassilly holds a wide lead over Billy Boniface in the Republican primary for Harford County executive with 66.7% of the vote. Blane Miller III ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

While her portion of the vote dropped by a percentage point, Alison Healey still holds a commanding lead with 68.4% of the vote in the Republican primary for Harford County state's attorney. Her opponent is incumbent Al Peisinger. No Democrats ran for this position.

Harford County Council President Patrick Vincenti, a Republican, slightly expanded his lead in his race for re-election, collecting 67.7% of the vote. Wini Roche, the county's former tourism manager who ran for county council in 2018, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for council president.

Three other Harford County council members, all Republicans, ran for re-election. Of the three, only council Vice President Robert Wagner failed to win the primary. Wagner got 41.2% of the vote in District E's Republican primary, behind challenger Jessica Boyle-Tsottles with 53.5%. Harford County Board of Education President Rachel Gauthier leads with 62.2% of the vote in the District E Democratic primary vote.

Jacob Bennett, a Harford County kindergarten teacher, leads the Democratic primary for the District F council seat with 77.5% of the vote. Incumbent Curtis Beulah is ahead in the Republican primary with 73.2% of the vote.

In District C, Republican council member Tony Giangiordano ran unopposed and will face Democrat Evan Schaule, a Harford County teacher who also ran unopposed, in the general election.

Totals for the three open council seats have largely remained the same since the early counting. Former Harford County Council member Dion Guthrie leads the Democratic primary for District A, the only council seat currently held by a Democrat, with 45.7% of the vote. David Woods ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Aaron Penman, president of the Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Union, has maintained his lead in District B's Republican primary with 65.7% of the vote. No Democrats ran in the district.

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Michelle Karczeski still leads over County Council member Chad Shrodes, 55.8% to 39.1%, in the Republican primary for clerk of the circuit court. Barbara Osborn Kreamer ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Only one of the county races for state legislature has changed so far. Incumbent District 34B Del. Susan McComas now leads in her primary contest with former Harford County Chamber of Commerce chair Jay Ellenby. McComas has 51.2% of the vote and Ellenby has 48.8%. After Tuesday's vote count, Ellenby led by 34 votes. Gillian Miller ran unopposed for the seat's Democratic primary.

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Del. Lauren Arikan maintains her lead, with 53.2%, in the District 7B Republican primary over Del. Rick Impallaria, who has 34.4%. Arikan and Impallaria are the district's incumbents, however, due to redistricting, this is now a single-seat district. Medford Campbell III ran unopposed in the Democratic race.

For the two-seat District 34A, County Council member Andre Johnson and incumbent Del. Steve Johnson lead in the Democratic primary with 42.8% and 32.6% of the vote, respectively. Glen Glass and Teresa Walter lead in the Republican primary with 38.1% and 31.6%, respectively.

Incumbent District 35B Dels. Teresa Reilly and Mike Griffith were the only candidates in the Republican primary in the two-seat District 35A race. No Democrats ran.

Republican state Sen. J.B. Jennings ran unopposed in the District 7 primary. No Democrats ran.

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Christian Miele, a former Baltimore County delegate, leads in the Republican primary for Cassilly's District 34 Senate seat with 73.7% of the vote. Former District 34A Del. Mary-Dulany James leads the Democratic primary with 65.1% of the vote. She is running against District 34A Del. Mary Ann Lisanti.

Incumbent state Sen. Jason Gallion leads the Republican primary in District 35 with 49.4% of the vote. No Democrats ran.

The four races for Harford County Board of Education seats have all remained the same. Denise Perry leads District A with 30.9% of the vote; Carol Mueller, the board's vice president, is ahead in District C with 56% of the vote; Carol Pitt Bruce leads District E with 39.1% of the vote; and Sharon Jacobs leads District F with 42.4% of the vote.