Uncounted ballots in the Prince George's County Special Primary exclude 2 political contestants from final tally.
Article Title: Uncertainty Surrounds Votes for Withdrawn Candidates in Prince George's County Special Primary Election
In the ongoing Prince George's County Special Primary Election, a question has arisen regarding the rules for counting votes cast for candidates no longer in the race.
Kayce Munyeneh, the Mayor of the Town of Cheverly in Prince George's County, suspended her campaign for the District 5 Council seat on January 10, 2025. Despite her withdrawal, Munyeneh remains on the ballot for the race.
More than 45,000 ballots have been returned so far, with Primary day scheduled for March 4. According to Prince George's County Elections Administrator Wendy N. Honesty-Bey, no voter or citizen of Prince George's County will be disenfranchised. However, the State of Maryland's website states that votes cast for a candidate no longer in the race will not be counted.
This discrepancy has left voters and election officials in a state of uncertainty. In general election practice and Maryland election law context, votes cast for candidates who withdraw or are no longer in the race may still be counted, but those candidates cannot win or advance. The ballots are usually not reprinted after a certain deadline, so votes for withdrawn candidates remain on the ballot. Election officials may notify voters, but votes cast remain valid.
Two other Democratic candidates listed on the ballot are no longer running. The field for the County Executive race now consists of eight Democrats and three Republicans. The Democratic ballots returned so far are less than 10% of the ballots mailed out.
The Town of Cheverly's lawsuit against Bladensburg, a significant factor in Munyeneh's decision to suspend her campaign, was filed by Bladensburg on the Monday following Munyeneh's suspension. Early voting for the primary election begins on February 26.
To obtain authoritative and specific rules for the Prince George's County Special Primary Election regarding votes for candidates no longer in the race, it is best to consult the Prince George's County Board of Elections official communications or website, Maryland State Board of Elections guidance documents on special and primary elections, and local election codes or administrative rules pertaining to candidate withdrawal and vote counting in primaries and special elections.
In light of the discrepancy in the voting rules and the continued presence of withdrawn candidates on the ballot, the unfolding events in the Prince George's County Special Primary Election echo broader concerns in the field of politics, particularly with regards to war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and general-news pertaining to migration and election laws. The uncertainty surrounding the votes for withdrawn candidates poses questions about how these uncounted votes may influence migration patterns and future policy-and-legislation.
