Canvassers in Washington County went back over ballots Monday in a razor-thin Republican primary for the county's state's attorney, after the lead flipped during post-election counting. With only a few dozen votes separating the top two candidates, the final tally will likely decide who becomes the county’s chief prosecutor next year.
As reported by DC News Now, canvassers are working through flagged irregularities while recounting ballots, including cases where multiple ballots were placed in a single envelope in a drop box and ballots from voters who live outside Washington County that still ended up in local drop boxes. Washington County Election Director Barry Jackson told canvassers the margin is thin, a couple of dozen votes, and the board is sorting and adjudicating affected ballots as the count moves forward, the outlet reported.
Ballot counts and schedule
According to the Washington County Board of Elections, 11,255 mail-in ballots were requested, and 6,146 had been received as of June 26. Local reporting from The Herald-Mail noted the county expected roughly 350 additional mail-in ballots to be counted on Monday, July 6, keeping the unofficial margin especially volatile.
Campaigns respond
Challenger Adam Greivell told DC News Now he has full faith in the canvassing process, signaling that his campaign is willing to ride out every last ballot review. Canvassers said incumbent Gina Cirincion was in court and unavailable for comment as the count continued. Election officials added that both campaigns will be able to review challenged ballots during the canvass.
What comes next
Under state rules, a candidate may request a recount, and for contests limited to a single county, a petition must be filed within three days after local certification. The Maryland State Board of Elections outlines the recount procedures and timelines, and if the margin stays in the low dozens after the canvass is complete, either campaign could pursue a recount or legal challenge under those rules.
Why this matters locally
Because no Democrat filed for the seat, the winner of the Republican primary is the prohibitive favorite to become Washington County state's attorney next year, giving the final count immediate consequences for prosecutions and local criminal-justice priorities. County officials said they expect to finish the canvass and prepare results for certification in the coming days.
