Andre Gao, a candidate for the District 1 school board seat in Howard County, conceded the race to his opponent, Meg Ricks, on Sunday, though election results remain unofficial.
Gao maintained a narrow lead of 56 votes over Ricks on election night; however, updated numbers after more mail-in ballots were canvassed show Ricks has taken the lead with 14,830 votes (51%) to Gao’s 14,094 (48.5%), according to the Maryland State Board of Elections.
The race for a District 5 school board seat was also very close after election day, but the latest unofficial results show Andrea Chamblee’s lead over her opponent Trent Kittleman has grown. Chamblee has received 18,239 votes (52%) while former state delegate Kittleman, has earned 16,667 votes (48%).
Provisional ballots are scheduled to be counted today, and all votes must be certified by counties’ boards of elections and sent to the state Friday.
Gao posted on Facebook early Sunday morning, congratulating Ricks “after a competitive campaign” and wishing her success in listening to and serving the school system community. He thanked his supporters for their efforts and said he was grateful for residents’ openness to discussing what they wanted in the district when he knocked on doors during the campaign.
“Thank you all for this incredible journey,” Gao said in the post. “I will continue to pay attention to school issues and advocate for a better education for all our students.”
As results came in on election night Nov. 5, the Board of Education races for District 1 and District 5 each came within a few dozen votes, with additional mail-in ballots and provisional ballots yet to be counted. The Howard County Board of Elections was canvassed about 22,000 ballots Nov. 7, Election Director Guy Mickley said.
In the remaining three districts, incumbents Antonia Watts, Jen Mallo and Jolene Mosley all won reelection to the board, according to unofficial posted results. Mosley ran uncontested.
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