Anne Arundel school board candidate who originally dropped out of race may be back after votes are counted
District 1 ballots for the Anne Arundel County Board of Education are still being counted, but the race may come down to incumbent Gloria Dent facing a person who previously dropped out of the race.
Sarah Lacey suspended her campaign in mid-March after failing to get the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County endorsement. She never formally removed her name from the ballot and may move on to the general election in November if she remains in second place, said Richard Siejack, deputy director for Anne Arundel County Board of Elections.
“No paperwork has been filed by Ms. Lacey to withdraw from the contest,” he said. “Until we receive paperwork saying otherwise, our office won’t adjust anything.”
In some cases, if a declination form isn’t received in time, a candidate may still appear on the ballot.
“We are still canvassing,” he said. “There are approximately 5,000 votes still being counted and only 200 to 300 votes separating the second- and third-place candidates, so the issue may just resolve itself.”
David Garreis, director of the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, said a candidate has until Aug. 6 to withdraw from the general election.
Lacey, a former County Council member and state Senate candidate, told the Capital she had no intention of moving forward without the support of the Teachers Association for Anne Arundel County in March after they chose to back Dent.
“While I had hoped they would make a different decision, I do not desire to run without their support,” said Lacey in March. “Therefore, I am suspending my campaign, effective immediately.”
Yet with the race returns showing her in position to move on to the general election, her position has changed.
“I thank everyone who trusted me with their vote in the primary and am humbled to have earned a spot on the ballot for November,” Lacey wrote in an email.
She also commented separately that she has still yet to make an official decision to resume campaigning.
According to unofficial primary results, Dent received 33%, followed by Lacey 26%, Hunter J. Voss 22.6% and Ciera M. Harlee 18.4%. The top two candidates will face off in the Nov. 5 general election.
District 1 covers northwestern Anne Arundel County, extending from Jessup to Brooklyn Park.
Other candidates to advance from the primary as of Tuesday include:
- Erica McFarland and Chuck Yocum for the open seat in District 3
- Sarah McDermott and Stephanie Mutchler for the open seat in District 4
- Incumbent Dana Schallheim and LaToya Nkongolo in District 5
With just two contenders each, Districts 6 and 7 did not require a primary. Joanna Bache Tobin will seek reelection against Edilene Barros in District 6, while Jeremy York and Dawn Pulliam will face off for the open seat in District 7.
Board President Robert Silkworth, who represents District 2, is unopposed in November.