David Blair Asks For Partial Recount In Executive Race

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — David Blair is asking for a partial recount after losing the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County executive to Marc Elrich in a tight race.

The race was too close to call on Election Day on Tuesday, June 26, and ultimately came down to absentee and provisional ballots.

Longtime county council member Elrich was deemed the winner by just 79 votes.

Blair filed his request for a partial recount on Thursday afternoon. He asked for a recount of provisional and absentee ballots at two precincts — the Potomac Community Recreation Center in Potomac and Hallie Wells Middle School location in Clarksburg, WTOP reports.

“We have analyzed the election results by precinct, reviewed the treatment of thousands of provisional ballots, and spoken with hundreds of individual voters who experienced difficulties registering to vote or casting their ballots,” David Blair said in a statement. “and while it is certainly unclear whether a recount will affect the outcome, we believe the narrow margin coupled with the numerous issues impacting the election make a recount appropriate.”

SEE ALSO:

• Nancy Floreen Launches Independent Run For County Executive
• Marc Elrich Narrowly Wins Democratic Primary For County Executive
• Elrich And Blair In Tight Race For Montgomery County Executive

Blair's campaign said this year's Primary Election was "impacted by a variety of unusual circumstances," like the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration technical errors that affected thousands of county residents.

"The MVA issues caused delays and, in some cases, lost or failed voter registrations and resulted in a significant increase of provisional ballots cast over prior elections," the Blair Campaign statement said.

The statement said the MVA issues caused an unspecified amount of voters to leave polling places without casting ballots, and it resulted in the rejection of valid provisional ballots. Of the 3,616 provisional ballots cast in this year's Primary Election, 955 of them were rejected in the County Executive race, the statement said.

“Our chief concern centers on the 955 provisional ballots that were rejected by the Board of Elections in the County Executive Race as these rejected ballots disproportionately impact our supporters,” said Blair. "Unfortunately, the recount process does not provide a legal avenue for the campaign to get these votes counted. However, David joins the voters of Montgomery County in being frustrated with the breakdown in process that led to their disenfranchisement and pledges to continue to work with the appropriate officials to fix this error."

The campaign encourages voters whose ballots remain rejected to seek administrative help to "rehabilitate their votes."

WTOP reports it will be several days before an official recount can begin because the board of elections is preparing for a recount in a legislative race for a Maryland House of Delegates seat in District 16.

Samir Paul is asking for a recount against Sarah Love after losing by eight votes.

(Photo of Blair via Montgomery Community Media)