Nancy Navarro held a thin margin over challenger Benjamin F. Kramer in the Democratic primary Tuesday night for the District 4 seat on the Montgomery County Council, while Republican Robin Ficker wrapped up the Republican nomination, beating two other challengers, according to unofficial results released by the county Board of Elections.
Navarro, 43, a member and past president of the county's Board of Education, had 44.5 percent of the votes, tallying 3,557 out of 7,987 votes for the Democrats with all 45 precincts reporting. Kramer, 52, who represents District 19 in the Maryland General Assembly, trailed with 43.5 percent and 3,479 votes. Only 78 votes separated the two candidates.
Marjorie Roher, spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Board of Elections, said 678 absentee ballots received by Tuesday afternoon still had to be counted, which could affect the final tally. Absentee ballots can still come in by Friday.
On the Republican ticket, Robin Ficker, 65, a real estate broker and traffic and criminal attorney, had about 58 percent of the vote with 1,187 votes out of 2,050 cast for the Republicans with 45 precincts reporting. Louis August, 50, an entrepreneur and nonprofit organization executive, trailed at about 28 percent and 571 votes.
Green Party candidate George Gluck, 62, of Rockville ran unopposed in this year's special election and will advance directly to the general election.
The winners will square off in a District 4 special general election May 19 to fill the council seat left vacant by the death of Don Praisner (D), who died Jan. 30. He had won the seat in a special election last year after his wife, longtime Councilwoman Marilyn J. Praisner (D), died that February. Praisner, who vowed he would only serve the remainder of his wife's term to continue her legacy, edged out Navarro in last year's special election primary with 44 percent and 3,288 votes. Navarro trailed with 39 percent and 2,940 votes.
Navarro said Tuesday night that her lead was a result of her campaign reaching out to the diverse community in District 4 and engaging every eligible voter in county issues.
"We ran a campaign where we truly focused on outreaching and informing voters in every community, in every precinct," she said.
She said her opponent Kramer has "an extraordinary job in Annapolis" and she looks forward to working with him.
Ficker said Tuesday night that District 4 homeowners were the real winners of the Republican primary.
"I don't think this represents a victory for me, personally," he said. "I am a vehicle for the homeowners. The homeowners of District 4 are looking to have a voice on the council and I am the way for homeowners to have that voice."
Roher said voter turnout Tuesday was low, with about 10 percent of all registered District 4 residents casting votes in the primary. However, she said the election was run smoothly without any glitches.
District 4, which includes parts of Burtonsville, Silver Spring, Cloverly, Colesville, Wheaton, Aspen Hill, Olney, Sandy Spring and Ashton, as well as the retirement communities Leisure World and Riderwood Village, is slightly older, less affluent and more diverse than other parts of the county.
The next District 4 representative could play a crucial swing vote on the nine-member council on matters that affect the entire county, such as development, transportation, education, crime and the county's budget deficit. There have been several candidate forums where candidates have had the chance to speak out about the issues they stand for, including one on March 31 that Republican candidates boycotted because of what they called an unfair format.
With such important issues facing the county, state and county officials lined up to support the candidates in the weeks before the primary.
Kramer was endorsed by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and County Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At Large) of North Bethesda. He has also gathered the endorsement of Alison Klumpp, the Praisners' daughter, career and volunteer firefighters, and the Montgomery County Business Political Action Committee.
Navarro has the endorsement of council members Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring, Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park, Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown and George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park; State Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez (D-Dist. 18) of Chevy Chase, and school board members Shirley Brandman, Judy Docca and Christopher S. Barclay.
She is also endorsed by U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Dist. 4), civil rights leaders Roscoe Nix and Ruby Rubens, the Montgomery County Federation of Teachers, Progressive Maryland and the Democratic Women's PAC of Maryland.
Despite the outpouring of support before the primary, voter turnout was low Tuesday at the 51 district polling places, but the slow pace and being over-prepared kept the election problem free, said Roher.
Even Leisure World in Aspen Hill, which includes two traditionally busy precincts, saw a sluggish start to the day.
"At this point it seems pretty slow," Roher said mid-morning. By late in the afternoon, the polls were still "very quiet," she said.
Kramer and fellow Democratic candidates Navarro, attorney Robert Goldman of Burtonsville and Lamari of Norbeck greeted a slow stream of voters in front of Clubhouse 1 in Leisure World Tuesday morning.
They were joined by Republican candidate August.
The group said they hoped voter turnout would pick up by the afternoon.
"But I think it'll pick up here as the sky clears up," Navarro said. "I'm sure Leisure World will turn out to vote — they're very good about that."
About 30 votes were cast at Benjamin Banneker Middle School by 10 a.m. At the Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, fewer than 30 votes were tallied on seven voting machines.
Despite the seemingly low voter turnout, Mendel Abrams, 74, said that does not diminish the meaning of voting, no matter what size the election.
"That's what democracy is all about," he said.
Staff Writers Melissa J. Brachfeld, Robert Dongu and Terri Hogan contributed to this report.
