Annapolis voters were heading to the polls Tuesday morning to cast their ballot for mayor and their City Council representative.
The election will determine the next political chapter of the city as two-term Mayor Gavin Buckley, a Democrat, leaves office and half of the current City Council is not running for reelection.
Of the eight city wards, six have competitive elections for alderman, the representatives on the City Council. Incumbent Democratic Ward 7 Alderman Rob Savidge and Democrat candidate in Ward 4, Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson are each running unopposed.
The first unofficial results will be posted soon after polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Tuesday results will include only in-person votes on Election Day.
On Thursday, the city will begin to count mail-in votes and votes places in ballot drop boxes. The final results are set to be released on Nov. 12, the deadline for mail postmarked by Election Day to be received by election officials.
Capital Gazette reporters are positioned across the city Tuesday morning talking to voters and candidates.
Gov. Moore casts his ballot
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, voted around 9 a.m. Tuesday at Annapolis City Hall. Inside the City Council Chambers, Moore thanked election workers for helping out in the election.
Outside City Hall, Moore spoke with Democrat mayoral candidate Jared Littmann and Democrat Ward 1 Alderman Harry Huntley, who is vying for an elected term on the City Council after his appointment last year.
Moore told the Capital Gazette that this is an “exciting time” for the city and encouraged Annapolis residents to vote on Tuesday.
“I’m so excited about what this is going to mean for the future of Annapolis, what it’s going to mean for the future of Maryland,” Moore said. “Now is the time for us to move fast, for us to be able to drive forward, for us to not just be able to push back against what we’re seeing from the Trump administration, but push forward, push forward for a new and a future-facing vision for the state of Maryland and for Annapolis.”
— Katharine Wilson
Ward 1 voters mixed on continuity vs. change
On Tuesday morning, both mayoral candidates and Ward 1 alderman candidates were talking to voters and waving signs outside Annapolis City Hall.
Early morning Ward 1 voters who spoke with the Capital Gazette had differing opinions on if the city should stick to continue the work done by the term-limited mayor Buckley or to change the city’s direction to address rising property tax payments.
Dana Mebane, a 60-year-old Ward 1 resident, said she voted for Republican mayoral candidate Robert O’Shea and independent candidate Tom Krieck because of their campaign messaging on taxes and the city budget.
“I think it’s really time for a change,” Mebane said on why she voted for O’Shea. “He’s not just making empty campaign promises … . He knows what can and cannot be done … . I think he has some good ideas that are doable.”
Dharma Pachner, a 54-year-old Ward 1 resident who has lived in the city for 20 years, said he likes the momentum that Buckley has had during his terms as mayor.
“I want to see the continuity in terms of what Mayor Gavin Buckley has done with the city,” Pachner said. “It’s very hard to get things done in this city; there’s a lot of competing factions. I like the idea of continuously finding ways to evolve this city, to make it … safer, more pedestrian friendly, more environmentally conscious.”
Pachner said he voted for Littmann and Huntley to continue work done by Buckley. Buckley has endorsed the two Democrats.
— Katharine Wilson
Ward 2 voters, campaigns out in full force
At Ward 2’s polling location, the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, signs and campaign representatives were out in full swing. About 20 people were in line to vote just before noon Tuesday.
Ward 2 Alderman Karma O’Neill, a Democrat running for reelection, had a pop-up canopy tent set out with campaign materials, including buttons and stickers that said “Vote Good Karma for Annapolis.”
Nina Fisher, a 68-year-old Ward 2 resident, said her top issue this election was the environment. She voted for O’Neill and Littmann, she said, because Fisher knew both candidates — Littmann through ultimate frisbee and O’Neill by working with the alderman on environmental signage around the stadium trail.
“She’s been very solid in the alderman position, and I see no need to change from what she’s been doing and how she’s been handling herself,” Fisher said about O’Neill.
O’Neill’s Republican opponent, Kenneth Vincent, a former FBI agent, had signs around the library and across the ward, emphasizing his endorsements from the Annapolis firefighter union. Vincent and O’Neill were both talking to voters as they walked into the polls.
Linda Davidson, a 74-year-old registered Democrat, said she voted for Vincent and O’Shea this election because their campaign messaging was more in line with what she was looking for.
The mayoral election wasn’t far away as campaign representatives went out to make their case. John Pantelides, the father of former Annapolis Republican Mayor Mike Pantelides, was holding up a large sign supporting O’Shea that said: “Taxes too high? Bobby O’Shea’s your guy! For mayor.”
Ray Feldmann, who has been working with Littmann’s campaign, sported a Littmann T-shirt while talking to passersby.
— Katharine Wilson
Lines out the door in Ward 8, Eastport
Ward 8’s alderman race had voters coming out in droves, with the line consistently stretching to the door of the Eastport Volunteer Fire Co. and sometimes out of it when a reporter visited around midday Tuesday.
Chief Judge David Beagan told the Capital Gazette that there were over 720 voters as of 2 p.m.
Going head-to-head are Democrat Frank Thorp and independent William Cunha.
Those advocating for the latter appreciate his views.
“I think Will Cunha is just what we need in this ward. He cares about everyone, not just down that way [pointing toward the northern end of Eastport]. I have been to his meet and greets, and I actually hosted one, and he is consistent in his beliefs and what he wants to accomplish for the people of Eastport, meaning all people of Eastport,” said Rosemary Katchmar, a Ward 8 voter.
“I think voting generally is a right that we should not take for granted, and it’s something that I think because we have access to it. It’s something that I have and will always exercise that right no matter what election it is,” said Catherine Roland, another Ward 8 voter. “I voted for Will Cunha. He does not have a specific party affiliation, and I think he’s used that to his benefit, in terms of not relying on what the Democratic or the Republican Party wants. It’s more directly what Eastport needs. And and I think he’s going to do just that.”
Some Democratic voters advocated holding the party line amid Republicans’ controlling all three branches of the federal government.
“I voted for Jared [Littmann], and I’ve known him from the hardware store for a long time. He’s a good guy, and I know his daughter,” said Jim Gomoljak, a voter. “I voted Democrat, which he is; that’s where I’m going. All Democrats.”
“[I came out today] to vote against the fascism that’s happening in this country,” said Dean Wickline, another voter. “I voted for Littman primarily because he’s a Democrat, not because I think he’s the best candidate. I voted on party lines.”
— Benjamin Rothstein
Candidates represent at Ward 3 precinct
Small huddles of the Annapolis Ward 3 alderman candidates and their supporters were formed in the parking lot outside the Mt. Olive Community Life Center around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Both candidates, Democrat Keanuú Smith-Brown and unaffiliated candidate Michael Dye, said they didn’t feel nervous about the results of the election. Smith-Brown said he’s grounded in his faith and said that it’s up to the people to make a decision.
Dye — who said he and Smith-Brown went into the center together earlier to vote — said he isn’t sure how he feels about the election and he’s OK with that. He said that this is “the people’s day” and they will make the decision.
Smith-Brown said he spoke with voters Tuesday about issues including homelessness, housing inequities and affordability. He said he’s focused on public safety, education and quality of life.
Dye said a lot of voters had already made their decision of who they were voting for before Tuesday. He said that in talking with residents of Ward 3, he’s realized that development is a major issue.
Although there weren’t large groups of people voting at the center just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, Chief Elections Judge Dan McDowell said voter turnout was at a little over 300 people. He said that was more than they had expected all day.
— Maggie Trovato
Public safety a concern in Ward 6, candidates say
Ward 6 residents voted at the Eastport Community Center, tucked into the sprawl of residential houses that make up most of the ward.
The candidates — Democrat Diesha Contee and Republican George Gallagher — said they arrived early at the polling place that morning and were still there around 1 p.m.
Voters in Ward 6 are concerned about public safety, both candidates said in interviews on Election Day.
Chad Roberts, a Ward 6 resident, voted for Contee and Littmann. Annapolis being a small town, he said he wanted to be more involved and volunteered on their campaigns.
“We have the most public housing in the city, and a lot of great people live here, so we need to make sure they’re taken care of. It’s a safe place to live, a clean place to live, and everyone deserves that,” Roberts said.
— Bridget Byrne
Strength in numbers in Ward 2
Outside the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library Tuesday afternoon, a black sprinter van pulled up. When its doors opened, a couple of Ward 2 residents exited and proceeded to walk into the library to cast their ballots.
Kerri Vincent, the wife of Ward 2 Republican candidate Kenneth Vincent, said a lot of Old Fourth Ward residents, who are now a part of Ward 2, don’t drive. She said that many of them expressed a need for transportation to the polls.
“So we rented a van today and we are going on the hour, every hour, all day long, picking people up,” she said.
Kenneth Vincent said this effort is being spearheaded by a group of people, including him and his wife, who want to make sure their neighbors can get to the polls to vote.
Kerri Vincent said just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday that she and another group member had made eight trips so far. She said they would be making trips until 8 p.m.
— Maggie Trovato
Picking up steam in Ward 7
Ward 7 was expected to be quiet, as it had been during the primary election. Alderman Rob Savidge, the incumbent, was running unopposed.
However, Ward 7 saw over 400 voters as of 3 p.m., according to official counts.
One of those was Teresa Healey-Conway, a millennial. She works in politics, though not on any of the campaigns on the ballot Tuesday, so she makes sure to vote in every election for which she’s eligible.
“It’s important for us to have good representation on all levels, from president all the way down to your local community,” Healey-Conway said. “I supported Jared Littman, [I’m a] lifelong Democrat, so, they tend to align with my values. Not that I won’t ever give a Republican a look, but I tend to vote Democrat.”
Anne White was posted at Ward 7 to advocate for Bob O’Shea and felt the mayoral election alone is more than enough to bring out voters.
“I didn’t expect a big turnout because they don’t have a [competitive] alderman [race], or the Republican side doesn’t have an alderman candidate. But I think it’s been … I’d say fairly steady,” White said. “It’s an open election. I mean, Gavin [Buckley]’s termed out. So, it’s a clean slate.”
— Benjamin Rothstein
Uncertain about the future in Ward 5
In Ward 5, Democratic incumbent Brooks Schandelmeier is facing Republican Jack Papeleonti.
Around midday, the Pip Moyer Recreation Center had several volunteers campaigning in favor of Papeleonti and Republican mayoral candidate Bob O’Shea.
A central issue for many of their supporters is affordability.
“I want to be able to retire in Annapolis, and right now I can’t,” said Suzanne Duffy, who has been helping with O’Shea, Papeleonti and other Republican and unaffiliated candidates.
Other supporters came out for Littmann and Schandelmeier.
Mike Bzdil often runs into Littmann at his Ace Hardware store. He attended one of Littmann’s open houses, where he was won over.
“He’s a neighbor, and a lot of his philosophies and beliefs I fall in line with,” said Bzdil, a Ward 5 resident. “I’m not too excited about what’s going on in Annapolis with all the development and road closures, so I’m hoping for change.”
Have a news tip? Contact Katharine Wilson at kwilson@baltsun.com.
