Howard County Democrats were celebrating a near total victory last night, as County Executive James N. Robey and a majority of County Council members won four-year terms - keeping control of county government.
Democrats also won a majority of seats in the county's General Assembly delegation - but did not capture the new District 13 state Senate seat, which went to Republican state Sen. Sandra B. Schrader in a close contest.
Democrat Timothy J. McCrone is the new county state's attorney, and Sheriff Charles M. Cave, also a Democrat, kept his seat.
Courtney Watson won the nonpartisan school board seat by a wide margin.
Robey beat Republican Steven H. Adler with 58 percent of the vote.
"This is about what we figured. I'm sure there's going to be a lot more thrill tomorrow than there is now. I'm tired. It's grueling, but it's well worth it," Robey said.
Adler was philosophical. "We're going to come up a little short. We had a great time and made a lot of new friends, but it didn't work out this time," he said.
Republican Party leader Louis M. Pope said he is satisfied, despite not gaining any ground in local offices.
"We may end up with the status quo. I think things turned out well," he said, noting Schrader's victory and Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s victory in the county.
Four years ago, Democrat Parris N. Glendening took Howard County with 53 percent of the vote.
Newcomer David Rakes will represent the east Columbia County Council seat vacated by 20-year member C. Vernon Gray, while Kenneth S. Ulman is the new west Columbia council member, replacing retiring Mary C. Lorsung. Both are Democrats. Republicans Brian Harlin and Joan Lancos lost those races.
Guy J. Guzzone, the only incumbent Democrat on the council seeking re-election, easily won a second term representing District 3, covering the southeastern county.
The two Republican County Council members, Allan H. Kittleman from the western county and Christopher J. Merdon of Ellicott City, also easily won re-election, with Merdon beating Lynne Bergling and Kittleman winning over Stephen Musselman.
As predicted, the turnout was much heavier than in the Sept. 10 primary.
At River Hill High School in Clarksville, 107 people were waiting to vote when the polls opened at 7 a.m. By 1 p.m., nearly half of those registered at Atholton High had voted.
One major voting problem marred the day.
People who used absentee ballots in the primary were told they must use them again - which was a mistake that discouraged an unknown number of people.
Barbara Cooper, elections board president, said voter lists should have been purged of absentee users after the primary, but they were not. Janet Oken, whose daughter Rachel voted absentee in September, said they waited for an hour at Howard Community College for the confusion to be resolved.
Sun staff writers Jason Song, Laura Cadiz and Kristin Sette contributed to this article.
Howard County
93 of 93 precincts reporting
County Executive
James N. Robey, Dem. (i) ................... 52,802 ........... 58
Steven H. Adler, GOP ......................... 38,028 ........... 42
Board Of Education
(2 winners; nonpartisan)
Courtney Watson ................................ 48,606 ............ 68
Barry Tevelow ...................................... 22,990 ............ 32
1st Council District
Christopher Joseph Merdon, GOP (i) ...12,245 ............ 66
Lynne Bergling, Dem. ............................ 6,325 ............ 34
2nd Council District
Dave Rakes, Dem. ................................ 8,917 ............. 60
Brian Harlin, GOP ................................. 5,864 ............. 40
3rd Council District
Guy Guzzone, Dem. ............................. 9,512 .............. 66
Diane Wilson, GOP ............................... 4,913 .............. 34
4th Council District
Ken Ulman, Dem. ................................ 11,100 ............... 59
Joan C. Lancos, GOP ........................... 7,854 ................ 41
5th Council District
Allan H. Kittleman, GOP (i) .................. 15,974 ............... 72
Stephen Musselman, Dem. ................... 6,193 ................ 28
State's Attorney
Timothy J. McCrone, Dem. ................... 48,321 ................ 56
Robert Ryan Tousey, GOP ................... 37,802 ................ 44
Circuit Court Clerk
Margaret D. Rappaport, GOP (i) ........... 50,916 ................ 59
Leslie J. Cale, Dem. .............................. 35,581 ................ 41
Register of Wills
Kay K. Hartleb (i) ................................... 67,928
Orphans' Court Judge
(3 seats)
Joyce Pope, GOP (i) ............................. 47,342 ................. 23
Charles M. Coles Jr., GOP (i) ................ 41,278 ................. 20
Sherae M. McNeal, Dem. (i) .................. 40,298 ................. 20
Paul L. Bush, Dem. ............................... 36,708 ................. 18
Eva-Mae Lloyd, GOP ............................. 36,260 ................. 18
Sheriff
Charles M. Cave, Dem. (i) ...................... 47,753 ................ 58
Edward Armanas, GOP .......................... 34,983 ................ 42
(i) = incumbent