-By Emily Blackner -
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY – In an election where many voters nationwide rejected the political elites, Prince George’s County voters largely approved the ballot measures put forth by their political leaders.
All seven of the county ballot measures- including bonds to pay for various county projects- passed with decisive margins. The closest contest was Question D, a proposal favored by county council members, the county executive and other business and political leaders that would add two new, at-large members to the council. With early voting and Election Day totals in, Question D garnered 214,700 votes, or 66.1 percent.
The next-closest ballot question was Question F, which had 71.2 percent of voters in favor. That question dealt with bonds for various renovation and improvement projects for county buildings. The other county bond measures, Questions A, B, C and E, all passed with 82 percent or more of the vote. Voters also supported Question G, a provision to provide for the legislative and executive branches to each seek outside council, rather than use the county attorney, in the event of a conflict between them. That measure passed with 85.3 percent of the vote.
State Question 1, which stipulates that in the event the attorney general or comptroller resigns from the post, the governor must choose a replacement from the same political party as the outgoing officeholder, passed by 72.5 percent of the vote statewide and 81.3 percent in Prince George’s.
The closeness of the Question D vote in comparison to the others may be attributable to the strong citizen campaigns mounted on both sides of the issue. “No on Question D” and “ReCharge At-Large,” the pro-Question D group, each organized events and printed flyers to attempt to inform citizens and make the case for their argument.
Proponents of the measure said the new members would allow more representative and responsive county government, as well as help attract economic development projects to the county.
County Executive Rushern Baker III supported the measure, and greeted the news of its passage warmly on Election Night. Baker spokesman Scott Peterson said, “County Executive Baker is pleased that Question D was supported overwhelmingly by Prince Georgians.
Two at-large council members will assist the progress of Prince George’s County and create a better and more responsive government.”
But Tamara Davis Brown with “No on Question D” said she was disappointed in the results.
“I know we had an impact and I know we educated some voters, but we just weren’t good enough,” she said.
Opponents like her objected to the measure because of the additional cost- over $1 million annually by 2020- as well as what they perceived as the self-serving nature of the proposal, since it would allow current, sitting councilmembers to potentially double their term limits from two to four terms.
Davis Brown said she believed a major reason for Question D prevailing was the sample ballots distributed by various campaigns. While the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee officially took no position, many felt the sample ballots- with titles such as “Democratic Sample Ballot 2016”- confused voters on that fact.
“I really think the sample ballot was the driving force,” Davis Brown said. “They were heavily distributed by the sitting judges who were hoping to be elected, certainly during early voting and at the top 100 polls on Election Day. Voters, unfortunately, rely on these as gospel.”
She also said the question’s position in the midst of the bond measures made it more likely to pass, since in her experience county voters “generally” approve those.
Voters leaving the polls Tuesday expressed their own reasons for both supporting and opposing Question D.
“I am somebody who likes change,” said Florence Ngundam of Bowie. “I think changes are good.”
Brain J., another Bowie voter, also supported Question D.
“I think the more the better. There will be more input into decision making,” he said.
A voter in Glenn Dale who identified himself only as Jose said he was against Question D.
“It’s just more government,” Jose said. “It’s just putting two more people there to do nothing for the county. This is just for their political careers.”
Davis Brown said the ”No on Question D” group plans to meet soon to discuss next steps, if any.
And Larry Stafford, executive director of Progressive Maryland, a grassroots organizing organization that strongly opposed Question D, said his group will be looking to recruit candidates to fill the two new at-large seats.
“We’ll be running progressive candidates for these new seats who have the heart of the people in mind,” he said.
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