RESULTS .... as of 11:55 P.M, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

Jennifer Seidel of Mount Airy secured a seat on the Carroll County Board of Education and Cynthia Foley of Westminster hung onto her seat over challenger Jeffrey Morse of Taneytown in a tight race for two open positions on the school board.

According to the Carroll County Board of Elections, with 100 percent of precincts reporting -- but not counting absentee and provisional ballots -- Seidel was the top vote-getter in the school board race with 39,547 votes (37.03%), while Foley received 31,824 votes (29.80%).
 
Morse received 30,067 votes (28.25%) in his bid to regain a seat on the board.

The relatively narrow margin may put absentee and provisional ballots in play -- they will be counted Thursday and next Monday, respectively.

Meanwhile, Virginia Harrison of Eldersburg, who replaced Morse on the board, conducted a write-in campaign that fell short. A total of 5,353 write-in votes were recorded (5.01%), though it is not yet known if all were for her.

Ballot issues

Carroll County voters supported both statewide Constitutional Amendments, backing Question 2, legalizing slot machines at specific venues in Maryland, with 58.68 percent of the vote in favor and 48.13 percent opposed.

Question 1, which will allow the state legislature to create an early voting provision, also gained Carroll County support, 51.87 percent to 48.13 percent.

Both of those measures also passed the statewide vote.

Bartlett and McCain

In other races, Carroll County continued to place itself in the conservative column, giving the nod for a new term for incumbent 6th District Congressional Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R) over challenger Jennifer Dougherty (D); and also backing Republicans Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin in their bid for the White House.

Bartlett received 47,840 votes in Carroll County (64.28%) while Dougherty received 24,201 votes (32.52%). Bartlett's district spans Carroll, Frederick and much of Western Maryland. The Associated Press reported late on Tuesday that the incumbent also carried the rest of that district to secure a new term.

McCain-Palin got 51,308 votes in Carroll County (64.83%) compared to the Democrat ticket of Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, which received 25,798 votes (32.60%) in the county. But across the state and the nation, Obama prevailed.

The following are other selected results from the Carroll County Board of Elections as of 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. The results are considered unofficial until the absentee and provisional counts.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES-VICE PRESIDENT
Carroll County results ...
Obama-Biden-D   25798 (32.60%)
McCain-Palin-R   51308 (64.83%)

Statewide results ...
Obama-Biden-D  1,160,346 (56.9%)
McCain-Palin-R   842,670 (41.3%)

U.S. CONGRESS, 6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Carroll County results ...
Jennifer Dougherty-D    24201 (32.52%)
Roscoe Bartlett-R        47840 (64.28%)

Statewide results ...
Jennifer Dougherty-D    116,455 (38.4%)
Roscoe Bartlett-R         176,062 (58.1%)

STATE QUESTION 1: EARLY VOTING
Carroll County results ...
YES   38147 (51.87%)
NO     35395 (48.13%)

Statewide results ...
YES    1,301,177 (68.7%)
NO      591,665    (31.3%)

STATE QUESTION 2: SLOT MACHINES
Carroll County results ...
YES   45739 (58.68%)
NO     32203 (41.32%)

Statewide results ...
YES    1,155,204  (58.5%)
NO       818,156    (41.5%)

BOARD OF EDUCATION (two seats open; top two win)
Foley, Cynthia      31824 (29.80%)
Morse, Jeffrey      30067 (28.15%)
Seidel, Jennifer    39547 (37.03%)
Write-In Votes*     5353 (5.01%)

* Incumbent Virginia Harrison ran as a write-in candidate


THE FOLLOWING ARE REPORTS FROM THE FIELD DURING THE EAGLE'S ELECTION DAY COVERAGE ...

Drawing to a close
7:55 p.m., Tuesday Nov. 4, 2008

Renato Cuizon read an e-mail sent out by the State of Maryland four years ago asking for state employees to help work at elections.
He answered that call and is now proud that he did, as he took part in helping what is to be believed a record turn-out in voting.
“I like the political process and being involved,” said Cuizon, a chief election judge at Sandymount Elementary School in Finksburg for District 4’s 1st Precinct. “Every single vote is valued in every election.”
In the precinct’s case, that equated to 2,653 votes so far, out of 3,666 registered voters in the precinct, which are people who live north of Route 140. That’s good enough for a 72  percent turn-out.
The busiest time was when the polls opened and at during lunch, he said. The dinner and after-work rush never materialized.
Over at the 3rd precinct in the school’s gymnasium, 1,406 voters turned out of the estimated 1,500 registered voters as of 7:45 p.m., according to officials there. That’s about a 93 percent turn-out.
In five minutes, the polls will close in Maryland  and we will soon find out whether the anecdotal evidence and statistics are right in seeing that the 2008 General Election saw the most voters out of any U.S. election. Though it's the end of the voting process, it's the beginning of a nationwide adventure to see who will become the next president. Find a TV to watch the drama unfold, or better yet, check back here at explorecarroll.com to find out the results.

— Charles Schelle


Even at the COB, they notice the VOTE
3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

  Given the high level of voter turnout, we wondered if Carroll County government had made any special provisions at the County Office Building today to allow employees any time during the day to vote.
  "I'm not aware of any concerted effort," said Vivian Laxton, the county's public information administrator, in an e-mail, "but civil servants, by the nature of what they do, are very aware of the need to vote. I've seen quite a few "I voted" stickers in the office today.
  "Anecdotally, I heard of people who saw long lines this morning and decided they'd go back this evening instead. Another, who went during her lunch break, said people were parking at the Catholic church and walking over to Charles Carroll Elementary because there were so many cars at the school," Laxton wrote.
  "It's such a great thing to see!"

Ticket please
3:10 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

In each polling place in Maryland you’ll find rows of white receipts taped to windows, walls or desks.
In the age of electronic voting and concerns over manipulation machines, each precinct is required to post what’s called zero tape, named for all the zeros that should appear on the receipt, explained Fairy Flickinger, chief election judge at District 1's 1st Precinct in Taneytown. 
“When the polls open, we print out the tape to show that no one has voted on the machines,” she said. “The zero tapes have to be all clear.”
That way, people can be confident that the machines are no programmed with a fix number of votes to start.
Once the polls close, staff print off the zero tape again and post the voting results on the window, she said.

— Charles Schelle

Keeping busy in Taneytown
2:50 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

Chief Election Judge Anna Motter couldn’t believe the line this morning at Northwestern Middle School in Taneytown.
“It’s more than I’ve ever see in my 20 years as a judge,” she said.
Motter, who is the chief judge for District 1's 2nd Precinct in Taneytown, said the line to vote stretched out into the parking lot at the school when polls opened and voters had to wait about 45 to 55 minutes, she said. It’s the first lull of the day, but voters still streamed through the doors.
So far, 1,209 people voted at the precinct, she said, and expects much more once it hits 5 p.m.
The former Northwestern Middle School teacher said even though it’s been a hectic day, she loves it.
“I enjoy it because I see people I have seen in a long time and see some of my former students,” she said.
Chief Election Judge Fairy Flickinger of District 1's 1st Precinct said she’s delighted to see the 1,216 people who voted in the precinct so far.
“They’re using their privilege for good and it seems to me that people are concerned,” said the 25-year election judge veteran.
The only hiccup during the day is trying to get people in the correct line, she said.
Northwestern Middle serves two precincts and the district lines have been redrawn recently, she explained.
What adds to the confusion is that some voters haven’t received their new voter cards telling them which precinct they belong to, she said. Also the election judges don’t have all the information, she explained. They lack a districting map to show the delineation between the two precincts, she said.

— Charles Schelle


Bored of Elections?  .... Not hardly!
2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

  If you're reading this and haven't voted yet --- now's the time.
  That's the word from Carroll County's Board of Elections Director Gail Carter, who said the mid-afternoon lull will most certainly be followed by a big rush in the 5 o'clock hour.
  Sitting in her command center (OK, her office) in the Robert Moton Center in Westminster, Carter said things have been busy, steady and smooth so far, with the biggest issue being traffic in some of the tighter parking lots at polling places — she mentioned Manchester and Winfield specifically.
  Keeping tabs with polling places via cell phones, Carter said most reported big crowds and lines in the early morning, but the election judges -- and voters -- seemed prepared.
  "Everyone  has been patient. Nobody's complaining," she said. "That's the good news."
  There have been a handful of machine glitches -- "That's normal" said Carter. To help with such issues, the elections board has 22 people roaming in the field that she can call and direct to a polling place if needed as "tech support."
  Turnout is heavy, but will it be a record? Carter said the biggest turnout in Carroll County was the 2004 presidential election, when 82 percent of registered voters exercised their franchise.
  "Carroll County always comes out for presidential elections," she said, though not as well for gubernatorial elections and primaries.
  "That always fascinates me."

— Jim Joyner

Lull in the afternoon ... Friendship Valley Elementary School
1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

  Word from the  field is that things have slowed down somewhat at the polls, at least at Friendship Valley Elementary School, were no lines at all were reported in the 1 p.m. hour. Lines were noted at many polling places in the early morning, but have tapered off now.
  Of course, perhaps the light drizzle falling throughout the arrea has a little to do with that as well.

— staff reports

Hungry for change ... or hungry for cookies?
 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008
 
  While polling places around Carroll County were bustling with election workers, voters and campaigners (at a specified distance, of course), the fine American tradition of young entrepreneurs was also on display.
  At several locations, Girl Scouts tapped into the election bustle — and a captive audience — to sell some cookies.
 An enterprising group of Scouts from Eldersburg Troop 81 were among those using the crowd to sell Girl Scout cookies and raise donations for troops overseas. Megan Valdes and Melissa Stoker, both Eldersburg residents and both juniors at Liberty High School, said they were having considerably better luck than the last-stand campaign volunteers.
 “We’ve only been out here about a half an hour and we’ve sold 16 boxes, which is pretty good,” Stoker said.
 
 — Bob Allen
 
 Last-minute campaigning is a family affair for Harrison
 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008
 
 Tiane Harrison, of Eldersburg, was out on Election morning doing some last-minute stumping for her mother, Virginia Harrison, who is running for a seat on the school board.
 “I was the first campaigner out here, at 6:55 a.m. and the line stretched all the way to that second lamp pole,” Harrison said as she held her campaign with one hand and putting to a light pole a couple hundred feet away in the parking lot.
 Harrison said it was also “very calm” where she stood on the edge of the parking lot with a handful of other campaign volunteers.
 But she wasn’t sure that she was persuading any voters with her sign.
 “Most people already have their minds made up,” she admitted.
 
 — Bob Allen


Big turnout at Liberty High School polling center, Freedom District
8 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

  At around 8 a.m., at the Liberty High School polling center, Freedom District, the school’s large front parking lot was about seven-eighths full. Some of the people holding signs and making last-minute bids for their candidates outside the school said the front lot was completely full when they arrived around 7 a.m.
   Eldersburg residents David and Sharon Pullman live across the street from the school. They said by 6 a.m. a line of voters was already forming in the parking lot.
“In the eight or nine years we’ve lived here this is the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen,” Sharon said.
   At 7:45 a.m., the line no longer stretched outside the school. But it did snake a couple hundred feet down a corridor before doubling back on itself and ending at the gym, where 20 voting machines were installed.
  “It will be a while,” a poll worker cheerfully announced to the several hundred people who killed time reading newspapers, talking on cell phones, chatting with one another or merely staring patiently at the walls. “We’re working as fast as we can.”
   Overall, the mood was subdued and cheerful as people stood on line about a half an hour before getting a turn at the machines. The poll worker expressed surprise and delight that the line had receded enough so that it no longer stretched outside into the parking lot.
  “I was going to wait until tonight to vote,” one lady was overheard telling a neighbor. “It’s supposed to rain and I don’t want to be stuck in the rain outside.”
  “At least it’s not snowing like it was last time,” the neighbor replied.

— Bob Allen


The Tuesday, Nov. 4, the General Election seeks local voters’ endorsements for President as well as the 6th Congressional District, two seats on the Carroll County Board of Education and a pair of state ballot questions dealing with early voting (Question 1) and slot machines (Question 2).
Polls in Carroll County will be open Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more details or assistance, call the Carroll County Board of Elections at 410-386-2080.

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