Possible Recounts Coming in Three Close Races in Prince George’s

It will soon be decision time for candidates in three close races in Prince George’s County.

The county Board of Elections finished tallying provisional and absentee ballots late last week, Deputy Administrator Daneen Banks said. “We’ve counted all of the ballots that we have, so now we have to go through the certification process.”

As has been the case throughout Maryland, the June 26 primary produced several close contests. In Prince George’s, the tight races all involve Democrats.

Rodney Streeter

In County Council District 7, Rodney Streeter, chief of staff to Councilmember Andrea Harrison, defeated progressive activist Krystal Oriadha by 31 votes. Streeter was the choice of 2,818 voters (26.61 percent); Oriadha won 2,787 ballots (26.31 percent). 

Because the margin was more than .1 percent, Oriadha does not qualify for a county-funded recount. Banks said the board has not received a request from her campaign, and the candidate did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Krystal Oriadha

Streeter and Oriadha were vying to succeed Karen Toles (D), a term-limited incumbent who unsuccessfully sought one of two new at-large seats on the council.

In Council District 9, Sydney Harrison, currently serving as clerk of the court, outpaced Tamara Davis Brown, an attorney and activist, by 55 votes, 7,125 to 7,070.  That margin — 34.51 percent to 34.25 percent — was also outside the .1 percent threshold.  

She tells Maryland Matters: “I am still consulting with the campaign and legal teams. … There is a good possibility that we will be filing a Petition for Recount.”

In House subdistrict 23A, Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith eked out a 42-vote win over challenger Shabnam Ahmed, a former student member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education.

Ahmed’s 2,556 votes (45.40 percent) was just shy of the 2,598 votes (46.15 percent) cast for the incumbent. Ahmed said late Monday night that she has not yet made a decision about a recount.

A third candidate, Kevin Samuel Thomas, received 476 votes (8.45 percent).

Banks, the deputy elections administrator, said candidates have three days from the day the election results are certified to request a recount. Certification is likely to occur on Tuesday, she said.

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