By Deborah Bailey
AFRO Contributing Editor
Special election primary voting took place in Prince George’s County March 4.
Both the county executive seat and a spot on the Prince George’s County Council are open.
Democrat Aisha Braveboy and Republican Jonathan White won the county executive races in their respective parties and will face each other June 3 in the special general elections.
Braveboy led a crowded field garnering 43,266 votes, 46 percent of the total vote tally for all candidates. Vying against 8 other democratic candidates, Rushern Baker and Calvin Hawkins were her closest competitors, receiving 17,965 votes and 15,911 votes respectively, according to vote totals reported from the Maryland State Board of Elections.
Airforce veteran Jonathan White rallied to victory in the Republican camp with a smaller vote total of 1338 or 37 percent of the vote total in his primary followed by Jesse Peed who trailed early in the vote count but ended the primary with 1221 votes, 34.5 percent of total votes. George McDermott who led early on election night ended the evening in 3rd place with a total vote count of 980.
Braveboy celebrated her primary victory at Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton in New Carrollton. “If you’re a resident of Prince George’s County, your vote matters,” she exclaimed to the crowd gathered.
Braveboy’s campaign was boosted when Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) formally endorsed her candidacy in mid-February, shortly before the start of early voting in the Prince George’s County special election.
“She’s going to put in the work for years to come so people understand this is Prince George’s time,” Moore said following her victory.
Voters like Kelsen James, who cast his ballot at the Laurel recreation center, said the Moore endorsement made a difference.
“I’m pretty much a Wes Moore fan and he endorsed Ms. Braveboy and that’s how I voted,” James said.
James mentioned that he also knew about Braveboy’s work as Prince George’s County States Attorney, but made up his mind after Moore backed the candidate.
As for the county council seat, Shayla Adams Stafford won the democratic primary race to represent District 1 with 1,214 votes or 46 percent. She was followed by Ryan Middleton, who gained 30 percent of the votes among district one voters.
Fred Price was the only republican who ran for the district one seat and will face Stafford in the special general election this Spring.
The special election was held to fill the permanent seat for the Prince George’s County Executive after Senator Angela Alsobrooks won her seat as one of Maryland’s two U.S. Senators. She was sworn in and began serving in that role on Jan. 3.
Early voting for the Prince George’s County special general election will begin May 28 and run through June 2. Special election day in Prince George’s County is June 3.