Voters declared strong support for limiting the county executive to two terms rather than the current three.
According to unofficial results from the Board of Elections, with 182 precincts out of 257 counted Tuesday night, 223,544 residents voted in support for a two-term limit. 108,840 voters were in opposition. That means more than two-thirds of those who cast votes wanted to reduce the number of terms the county executive can have.
If these results hold, Elrich will not be able to seek re-election as he is in his second term.
Republican Reardon Sullivan, who spearheaded the signature drive to get this question on the ballot, declared, “Term limits are just good governance.”
He added, “If you are good, you can get the job done in eight years. If you are not, then it’s time for new blood.” Sullivan pointed out that three terms – a total of 12 years – is as long as a child goes through the public school system.
He said the result “probably” was both a desire to limit the executive to two terms and also a vote against Elrich.
Prior to election day, Elrich said the ballot question was “all about getting rid of me, and the Republicans knowing they can’t beat me in the general election, and so the next best thing is to make sure I can’t run again.”
At the Angela Alsobrooks celebration Tuesday night in College Park, Elrich told MCM, “Republicans and developers got together because they could not beat me in an open election and basically told people that we needed to have term limits…I don’t think it’s good for democracy. I don’t think it’s good to be dishonest about what you’re doing.”
Elrich added, “I got two years (remaining.) We’re going to get everything we can get done.”
Alsobrooks, a Democrat, was successful in her bid for U.S. Senate. In unofficial votes, she defeated Republican Larry Hogan.
(191 of 257 election day precincts reported)
| Question A | Early Voting | Election Day | Mail-In Ballot | Provisional | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For | 93,955 | 79,437 | 50,152 | 0 | 223,544 | 67.25% |
| Against | 49,180 | 38,122 | 21,538 | 0 | 108,840 | 32.75% |
| Totals | 143,135 | 117,559 | 71,690 | 0 | 332,384 | 100.00% |
Maryam Shahzad contributed to this story.
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