Council Seeks Applicants for Redistricting Commission

The County Council is looking for applicants to fill the 11 seats on the Commission on Redistricting, a group that will recommend a plan for drawing council districts following the 2020 census. Voters today face two ballot questions that could change the number of districts from the current five. One would add two districts, keeping the four at-large positions. The other would eliminate at-large members in favor of creating nine districts, each represented by one councilmember.

Board of Elections Approves County High Schools for Voting Centers

The Montgomery County Board of Elections has approved the county’s high schools as locations for voting centers for the Nov. 3 election. The list includes Montgomery Blair High School, 51 University Blvd. E., and Northwood High School, 919 University Blvd. W. In addition, the board approved 11 locations for early voting, including the Silver Spring Civic Building.

Council Approves Charter Amendments That Could Change Its Makeup

The County Council last week approved two resolutions to place charter amendments on the November ballot, both of which would alter the composition of the council, if passed. One would divide the county into seven districts and create 11 council members. The other would eliminate at-large members in favor of nine district representatives.

Councilmember-Elect Will Jawando

Councilmember-Elect Will Jawando finished in third place (268,131 votes, 18.69 percent) in the general election in his third run for public office. Jawando had previously run for state delegate in District 20 (2014) and the Congressional primary in the Eighth District (2016). “It’s really just the basic desire to want to help improve the lives of my neighbors and also … Read More

Elrich Transition Underway, Focus is on Outcomes, Personnel

The transition to County Executive-elect Marc Elrich’s administration is well underway, as his team focuses on seven broad “priority outcomes” and potential candidates for government positions. While Elrich has announced that Andrew Kleine, his transition team chair, will serve as chief administrative officer, other positions are still in flux—except for one area. “I feel pretty good about the people that … Read More

New County Executive, At-Large Council Members Elected

Montgomery County elected a new county executive for the first time since 2006, and will send three new at-large members to Rockville to serve on the County Council. Councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At Large), after surviving a close primary race against businessman David Blair, earned 225,900 votes (64.3 percent) in unofficial results as of 11:42 p.m. last night. Elrich soundly defeated … Read More

Ballot Recount Confirms Elrich’s Primary Win

County Council Campaign Sign Design Review

Photo from barbarajpeters.com A partial recount of ballots in the Democratic primary last night confirmed Councilmember Marc Elrich’s (D-At Large) victory over David Blair for the county executive nomination. The final tally was 37,532 for Elrich (29.02 percent) and 37,455 for Blair (28.96 percent) a margin of 77 votes. Last week, after the county’s Board of Elections had certified a … Read More

Blair Requests Partial Recount of Democratic Primary Ballots

County Council Campaign Sign Design Review

Photo from barbarajpeters.com David Blair has requested a partial recount of ballots in the Democratic primary race for county executive, according to a report in The Washington Post. Blair, the Potomac businessman who largely self-financed his campaign, lost the election by 79 votes to Councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At Large). The county’s Board of Elections certified the results on Monday. Blair … Read More