Anne Arundel Election Results: County School Board, Questions

ANNE ARUNDEL, MD — Board of Education candidates, judges and referendums were all on the ballot in the Anne Arundel County election. The polls closed Tuesday at 8 p.m., but election officials are still tabulating the results.

(This story was last updated Wednesday at 2:57 a.m.)

Only two of Anne Arundel County's 30 voting centers have reported results. The Maryland State Board of Elections says technical steps are slowing the vote counts, which will not be finished on election night. More infromation will be available in the morning.

Patch is tracking the votes as they come in. Follow along with us. Check this page frequently for live updates from election night.

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Board Of Education

This year's election comes as the Board of Education completes its redistricting. State legislators passed a law in 2017 that shifted who board members represent and how they take office.

The governor used to appoint candidates who were nominated by a county commission. The appointees would then serve one of the county's General Assembly districts, which is the area that elects a local representative to the Maryland House of Delegates.

Board members are now elected. Under the new process, members serve County Council districts, which cover different areas than General Assembly districts. Punch your address into this website to see which district you live in.

The shift toward the new strategy was gradual and only happened as current board members' terms expired. Robert C. Leib (General Assembly District 30), Terry Gilleland (General Assembly District 31) and Eric Grannon (General Assembly District 33) were the last three appointed board members.

Their terms are now up. Because they represented General Assembly districts and the new members will lead County Council districts, none of these candidates will directly replace any of the outgoing school officials. They instead fill their vacancies and change the area that the vacant seat used to serve.

Every Anne Arundel County resident remains represented. The districts that determine their representative just look a little different.

District 2

In the District 2 race, Robert A. Silkworth takes on Raleigh Turnage. Silkworth currently has 10,460 votes to Turnage's 7,985.

Silkworth bills himself as the experienced teacher. The 71-year-old Silkworth has taught in Anne Arundel County Public Schools for 47 years. He says that gives him an unmatched connection with students.

"They are the future of this county and they deserve our best," Silkworth said. "Each and every one has dreams and aspirations and we must work hard to help them realize those dreams."

Turnage grew up in south Baltimore. Without a quality education, Turnage knew his chances for a successful life were slim. This realization drew Turnage to special education and social justice causes.

"I have been a mentor to many who only have one parent in the household," Turnage said. "I have also served on many boards and committees. I believe in getting involved and serving in my community."

More information on Turnage is available here. Head to this site to read up on Silkworth.

District 3

The race for District 3 pits Ken Baughman against Corine Frank. Baughman's 12,250 votes trail Frank's 13,733.

Baughman touts his background in the classroom. He has taught at all three high schools in the district, and he has served as vice president of the teachers union, otherwise known as the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County.

"I have taught in this county for all of my adult life, so I am aware of the school system workings," Baughman said. "We need someone that has been in the classroom to give another perspective to the Board."

Frank's top goal is to improve school safety. She hopes to a install more video in cameras and add more school resource officers, which are county police officers assigned to a school. Frank also prioritizes mental health and school nutrition.

"None of the other points are possible without proper fiscal management," Frank said. "Managing priorities and finding low cost solutions are the only ways an entity as large as the BOE can operate effectively."

Learn more about Frank at this link. Explore Baughman's background at this link.

District 6

In Anne Arundel County's final race India L. Ochs squares off against Joanna Bache Tobin. Ochs has 11,610 votes to Tobin's 14,546.

Both candidates pledge to fight the inequalities in schools. Ochs and Tobin condemn racism and support the Black Lives Matter movement. Even their education is similar, as they each earned doctoral degrees.

"On the surface, my opponent and I share matching priorities on the issues," Ochs said. "However, there are subtle yet critical differences if someone takes the time to look. My opponent wants to be a voice for the people, while I continue my lifelong motivation to make sure each person's voice is heard."

Ochs asserts that her local commitment sets her apart. She has served two terms as the Hillsmere Elementary School PTA president and she is a frequent attendee of Board of Education meetings.

Tobin says her diverse education makes her more qualified. She attended preschool in Hong Kong, elementary and middle school in Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon and high school in Pennsylvania. These experiences forced her to learn French and taught her the importance of diversity.

"Not only have I had professional opportunities to develop a broad understanding of numerous, diverse education systems, but my childhood education was a springboard," Tobin said. "AACPS leadership needs to creatively re-imagine how our educational system is going to serve all our students with effective and culturally relevant instruction."

Get to know Tobin here. Learn about Ochs' platform at this link.

Judicial Branch

Anne Arundel County is in Circuit 5 of the Maryland Circuit Court and the Maryland Court of Appeals. Every Maryland voter is eligible to vote in the at-large race in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.

Each candidate's name is linked to their campaign website. One judge does not have a campaign page, so Patch linked to his profile in the state's court system. Special instructions and circumstances are listed in parenthesis.

Judge in Circuit 5 of the Maryland Circuit Court (You Can Vote for up to Four Candidates):

• Pamela Alban (124,033 votes)
• Elizabeth Morris (128,246 votes)
• Rob Thompson (109,563 votes)
• Richard Trunnell (108,612 votes)

Judge in Circuit 5 of the Maryland Court of Appeals (Voting for His Continuance in Office):

• Jonathan Biran (225,505 votes for his continuance; 55,398 votes for his discontinuance)

Judge At-Large of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (Voting for His Continuance in Office):

• E. Gregory Wells (1,484,936 votes for his continuance; 262,069 votes for his discontinuance)

Ballot Questions

The proposals are referendums that need voters' approval to become law. Residents can vote for or against the following motions. Each referendum is liked to nonpartisan information.

Question 1 (Constitutional Amendment):

• "The proposed amendment authorizes the General Assembly, in enacting a balanced budget bill for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter, to increase, diminish, or add items, provided that the General Assembly may not exceed the total proposed budget as submitted by the Governor."
• (Amending Article II Section 17 and Article III Sections 14 and 52 of the Maryland Constitution)
• (1,421,334 votes for; 494,974 votes against)

Question 2 (Commercial Gaming Expansion Referendum):

• "Do you approve the expansion of commercial gaming in the State of Maryland to authorize sports and events betting for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education?"
• (Ch. 492 of the 2020 Legislative Session) Expansion of Commercial Gaming - Sports and Event Wagering
• (1,319,439 votes for; 671,988 votes against)

Question A (Charter Amendment to the Legislative Branch - Duties of the County Auditor):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to allow the County Auditor to have access to all records and files pertaining to County business; to allow the County Auditor to conduct additional financial and performance audits or reviews of any office, department, or agency funded in whole or in part by County funds; and to allow the County Auditor to conduct investigations of an act or allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse in the obligation, expenditure, or use of County resources."
• (156,965 votes for; 25,917 votes against)

Question B (Charter Amendment to the Executive Branch - Appointment and Confirmation of Certain Department Heads):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to require County Council confirmation of the County Executives appointments of the County Attorney, Chief of Police, and Fire Chief and to allow the County Council, on the affirmative vote of not less than five members, to prevent removal of a County Attorney appointed by the County Executive."
• (130,684 votes for; 47,343 votes against)

Question C (Charter Amendment to the Merit System - Exempt Positions):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to remove the limit of 1500 hours per calendar year for hourly rate contractual employees in the exempt service under Section 802(a)(14) of the Charter."
• (109,104 votes for; 64,055 against)

Question D (Charter Amendment to Centralized Purchasing - Competitive Bidding):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to permit the County Council to increase the minimum value of purchases and contracts requiring full competitive bidding to an amount not less than $25,000 and not greater than $100,000."
• (116,724 votes for; 58,776 votes against)

Question E (Charter Amendment to the Merit System - Extension of the Probationary Period):

• "To amend Section 806 of the Anne Arundel County Charter to modify the probationary period from six months to the time required to complete the departments entry-level training program plus twelve months for entry-level full-time classified sworn employees of the Police Department, Fire Department, Sheriffs Office, and Department of Detention Facilities, and to provide that a probationary period does not run while an employee is on paid or unpaid leave that exceeds 80 consecutive hours."
• (143,684 votes for; 35,341 votes against)

Question F (Charter Amendment to the Executive Branch - Expanding the Limitation on the Term of Temporary Appointees):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to expand the initial term for an acting Chief Administrative Officer or acting head of any office or department from sixty days to one hundred twenty days, and to allow the County Council to extend that term by up to two additional six month periods instead of the current four months."
• (104,043 votes for; 104,043 votes against)

Question G (Charter Amendment to Require the Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission):

• "To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to require the Anne Arundel County Human Relations Commission."
• (120,524 votes for; 51,986 votes against)

RELATED:

• MD Congressional Election Results: Mfume, Hoyer, Harris, Sarbanes

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.