FINAL ENDORSEMENTS & BANTER: Garagiola Backs Delaney, Leggett's Wife Pushes Smondrowski, & 2014 Candidate Remarks

Today is election day in Maryland, and numerous politicos are sharing their final thoughts about the ballot question and candidate choices facing voters. Yesterday Maryland Juice explained our votes on a few of the controversial referenda, but today you can hear from a few additional voices. Below we highlight a few interesting endorsements (or non-endorsements), along with a great deal of banter from elected officials on social networks:

JUICE #1:  SEN. ROB GARAGIOLA ENDORSES JOHN DELANEY FOR CONGRESS - Maryland Juice was cruising Facebook this morning, and caught some interesting election banter from State Senator Rob Garagiola. After losing the 6th Congressional District Democratic nomination to John Delaney last April, Garagiola is now supporting his rival for the CD6 seat:

How I'm voting:

No on Question B (Montgomery County) - if it's not broke, what are we trying to fix?
Yes on Question 4 - all children in MD schools should be able to pursue a higher education to better themselves with in-state tuition;
Yes on Question 5 - see my last endorsement;
Yes on Question 6 - this is a civil rights issue - vote for equal rights under the law for marriage equality;
Yes on Question 7 - it matters less where the tax revenue is going (and it is going to schools) - it is about economic development and thousands of jobs in Maryland (instead of West VA);
Obama - handed two wars and worst economic crisis since great depression - I'd say he's done great job dealing with the hand he was dealt (compared to the last President who was handed budget surpluses and peace) - c'mon, this really is a no brainer - why go backwards - Obama is moving our country forward!
Finally - vote Delaney over Bartlett (remember reference to Question 5). There is too much at stake nationally. We need to win this seat. Delaney will far better serve Congressional District 6 than Bartlett. Vote Delaney!
Our Democracy is messy, but it is still the best in the world!

JUICE #2:  IKE LEGGETT'S WIFE ENDORSES REBECCA SMONDROWSKI FOR MOCO SCHOOL BOARD - A few MoCo politicos are taking note that County Executive Ike Leggett's wife Catherine Leggett is making a last-minute appeal for school board candidate Rebecca Smondrowski (see email blast below). Smondrowski faces Fred Evans for the District 2 Board of Education seat, and the two candidates have been dividing endorsements throughout this campaign.

SCANNED DOCS: Students Produce "Young Apple Ballot" for MoCo School Board Races // PLUS: Read Candidate Literature

MoCo students advocate for a styrofoam ban at a recent youth town hall meeting.

MOCO STUDENTS GET POLITICAL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT: Maryland Juice picked up a number of pieces of literature at a Montgomery County Board of Education debate last night. But the most interesting flyer I grabbed was a "Young Apple Ballot" endorsement card produced by a group called "The Young Activist Club." The student-led movement has been trying for years to persuade Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to eliminate environmentally unfriendly styrofoam trays from use in school cafeterias. Specifically, they have been trying to get permission to launch a pilot program at Piney Branch Elementary School (which happens to be about four blocks from my house). After their efforts were rejected the last few years, the young activists-in-training are now getting political. Below you can read a scan of their new endorsement card, along with some background information from their website (excerpt below):

YOUNG ACTIVIST CLUB: We want to replace the wasteful and toxic polystyrene lunch trays at Piney Branch Elementary School with 350 durable lunch trays and a tray washer (also called a ware washer).   Once the ware washer is installed, we want to track the costs and benefits of moving away from disposables and toward reusables.   We want this project to be a test or pilot for the county school district and then, if successful, a model for other schools anywhere in the country.

Money Raised to Date:  We have raised $10,115 to pay for a rebuilt dish washer and durable reusable trays to replace the disposable polystyrene lunch trays.

Status:  Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) administrators have denied our request to proceed with a pilot project.  In a December 23rd, 2010 memo to the MCPS Board of Education, then School Superintendent Jerry Weast cited cost reasons for his opposition to the project.  His staff continue to insist we need a $27,000 new ware washer, that installation costs are a whopping $12,000 (not true), and that two staff are needed to operate a ware washer in Maryland (also not true).... We will continue to appeal the decision and to present evidence justifying the merits of our pilot project which will save MCPS money during its operation, not cost money.  We are now asking new Superintendent Joshua Staff to meet with us so we can discuss the benefits of our project and seek his support to move forward.

Their website also contains a voter guide for this year's Board of Education races:

Board of Ed Candidates Who Support Healthy Schools and Our Dishwasher Project:

Annita Seckinger - District 4
Fred Evans - District 2
Rebecca Smondrowski - District 2
Morris Panner - At Large

Current Board of Ed Members Seeking Re-Election Who DO NOT Support Our Project:

Christopher Barclay - District 4
Philip Kauffman - At Large

Don't Forget to Vote!

Below you can see the literature they were handing out at the school board debate:
"Young Apple Ballot" from Moco Students Activists

BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATE LITERATURE: Maryland Juice also picked up a few pieces of literature that the school board candidates were handing out. Unfortunately, I did not see pieces from all of the candidates. Note that all Montgomery County voters will get to vote for candidates in all three school board races:

• DISTRICT 2:  Fred Evans vs. Rebecca Smondrowski
• DISTRICT 4: Chris Barclay vs. Annita Seckinger
• AT-LARGE: Phil Kauffman vs. Morris Panner

ENDORSEMENTS: Montgomery County Teachers (MCEA) Release 2012 Apple Ballot Recommendations

For years, Montgomery County's teachers union (MCEA) has organized a sample ballot to be distributed at polling locations on election day. This year is no different, and below you can see what recommendations the teachers will be handing out on their "apple ballot." Note that earlier this week, Maryland Juice published a purple "school bus" ballot from MoCo's public school employees union SEIU. The apple ballot and school bus ballot differ on two matters: the District 2 Board of Education race and gambling. SEIU backs Rebecca Smondrowski in District 2 and also came out "for" Question 7 (gambling expansion). In contrast, the teachers are backing Fred Evans in District 2 and made no recommendation on gambling. Note: voters throughout Montgomery County can vote in all of the Board of Education races.
Montgomery County Teachers (MCEA) 2012 Apple Ballot

ENDORSEMENTS: SEIU Reveals Purple "School Bus" Ballot // READ: Montgomery County Sample Ballot Recommendations

Today SEIU Local 500 revealed its Montgomery County endorsements in the upcoming election.  The union, which represents employees in MoCo's public school system, is taking sides in several ballot question contests, as well as the school board races. Maryland Juice understands that this ballot will be handed to voters at dozens of Montgomery County polling locations. See a sneak preview below:
SEIU Local 500's 2012 Purple "School Bus" Sample Ballot

DEBATE SCHEDULE: Montgomery County Board of Education Candidates to Face Off // Fred Evans vs. Rebecca Smondrowski

UPDATE: Two readers inform us that there are two additional school board candidates debates. One on WED 10/10 and another on MON 10/29.  

10/10 DEBATE: School Board Candidates Forum on Public Safety, October 10 - 7 p.m.
Long Branch Community Center, 2nd floor Social Hall
8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring, MD

10/29 DEBATE: League of Women Voters of Montgomery County and the American Association of University Women are holding a School Board debate for all the candidates on Monday, October 29 at 6pm at Wheaton Library.

In Montgomery County, there are only a few hotly contested races on the ballot this November, and much of the attention has been focused on the 6th Congressional District battle between Democrat John Delaney and GOP Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. Meanwhile, the numerous referenda are attracting time and resources from local Dems -- (eg: police union rights, gambling, redistricting, the Dream Act and marriage equality).

But the real sleeper race is the Board of Education District 2 contest between former principal Fred Evans and MoCo politico Rebecca Smondrowski. Over the next two weeks, MoCo voters will have two opportunities to watch the school board candidates square off (details below):

DEBATE #1: OCT. 19 LEISURE WORLD DEMOCRATIC CLUB EVENT - Montgomery County's Leisure World community has long been a hotbed of Democratic Party activity, given that the thousands of retirees residing there have reliably high voter turnout. They are hosting a school board forum on Friday, October 19th (details below):

We in Leisure World have scheduled a Candidates Forum for the 6 candidates for the Montgomery County Board of Education. It will be held on Friday, October 19, 2012, from 2pm to 4pm. It is sponsored by the Democratic Club of Leisure World but since the Board of Education election is non-partisan, our Candidates Forum will be non-partisan too.

We have received acceptances from all 6 candidates, and we plan to have an in-depth conversation with all the candidates, in front of as many potential voters as possible. We won't have rigid time limits for answers, and won't have every candidate answer every question. Instead, each candidate will be given the opportunity to answer the questions he or she is most interested in, and to have a roughly equal amount of time to talk.

We've prepared a handout to help explain the MoCo Board of Education election, and I'll attach a copy of that handout to this email.

Leisure World is a gated community, where you need an invitation to enter, so if anyone would like to attend this event they can contact me (Paul M. Bessel at besselpaulm@comcast.net ) and I'll be happy to invite you so long as we have enough room.

Leisure World Debate Info: Montgomery County Board of Education

DEBATE #2: OCT. 24 PROGRESSIVE NEIGHBORS EVENT - Progressive Neighbors is a grassroots group of Montgomery County liberals, and on Wednesday, October 24th, they too are hosting a school board candidates debate (details below):

Save the Date: School Board Candidates Forum - Wednesday, October 24

WHAT: Montgomery County Education Forum, Progressive Neighbors, Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, and the African-American Democratic Club of Montgomery County invite you to join us for a community forum to hear from and ask questions of candidates for the Montgomery County Board of Education.

WHEN: Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 6:45 to 9:00 pm

WHERE: Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, Assembly Hall –
310 Tulip Ave (at Maple Ave), Takoma Park, MD 20912*

WHO:
District 2: Rebecca Smondrowski, Fred Evans
District 4: Christopher Barclay, Annita Seckinger
At-Large: Phil Kauffman, Morris Panner
Moderators: Del. Bonnie Cullison, Sharon Dooley, Marva Deskins

Please forward this to friends, family, neighbors, listserves, and share it on Facebook.  For more information, please contact Terrill North at terrillnorth@hotmail.com.

*Ample street parking and walkable from Takoma Park Metro.

WATCH: Fred Evans vs. Rebecca Smondrowski - MoCo School Board Debate // PLUS: Blaine Young vs. Frederick Teachers

This November, numerous Maryland voters will elect members of their local school boards. But some of these low-profile races are among the most competitive contests on the ballot. Below Maryland Juice highlights three notable Board of Education battles: Montgomery County, Frederick County & Prince George's County.

BOE BATTLE #1 - VIDEO DEBATE FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 2): Last April, Montgomery County voters nominated former principal Fred Evans and local politco Rebecca Smondrowski to run for the lone District 2 school board spot this November. Candidates from throughout Montgomery County can vote in this race. Fred Evans has the backing of the teachers union (MCEA), while Rebecca Smondrowski has the backing of The Washington Post and two other unions in Montgomery County: MCGEO and SEIU Local 500. Below you can watch Fred Evans and Rebecca Smondrowski debate on MoCo cable's "Political Pulse" show:



BOE BATTLE #2 - CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS FROM FREDERICK COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION RACE: This November, Frederick County voters will vote to fill a portion of their Board of Education seats. The race is highlighting numerous ideological battles, as Frederick Tea Party leader Blaine Young is trying to wrest control of the school board. He needs one more vote on the school board to unleash his agenda. Last May, Gazette columnist Joe Volz gave a quick background on Young's attempts to gain control the Frederick County school board:

SEIU Local 500 Endorses Rebecca Smondrowski for Montgomery County Board of Education, District 2

SEIU Local 500, the labor organization representing employees in the Montgomery County public school system, has endorsed Rebecca Smondrowski for the Board of Education District 2 seat. Smondrowski is running against former principal Fred Evans, who has the backing of the teachers union (aka MCEA). In the April school board primaries, five candidates vied for the two General Election spots. The Primary Election results are below, followed by the endorsement press release from SEIU Local 500:

DISTRICT 2 BOARD OF EDUCATION PRIMARY RESULTS (April 2012)

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

PRESS RELEASE    SEIU Local 500 Endorses Rebecca Smondrowski for  Montgomery County Board of Education, District 2
History of commitment to education key to endorsement

GAITHERSBURG, MD – The executive board of the SEIU Local 500 unanimously voted to endorse Rebecca Smondrowski for the open, District 2 seat on the Montgomery County Board of Education.

SEIU Local 500 President Merle Cuttitta said:

“Local 500 members drive the buses that bring children to school, keep classrooms and hallways clean and safe and provide direct instruction to this community’s children as paraeducators and media assistants - and they are committed to giving our children a world class education. Local 500 members also have children and grandchildren who attend Montgomery County public schools. That’s why it is so important for all of us to have someone like Rebecca on the Board of Education, because she has proven her commitment to our schools, our community and our children.”

Rebecca Smondrowski expressed her appreciation of Local 500’s support:

“SEIU Local 500 members are on the front lines, working to keep Montgomery County schools among the nation’s best and I am honored to have their support.”

SEIU Local 500 members include supporting services employees at MCPS, Maryland family childcare providers, part time faculty at Montgomery College and employees at homes and centers for the developmentally disabled.

UPDATE: MoCo Board of Education Candidate Rebecca Smondrowski Holds 365 Vote Lead Over Jeanne Ellinport

Ten days ago, Montgomery County's Board of Education District 2 Primary ended with somewhat of a murky result. The top two candidates in the race will proceed to the November General Election, but last week there were only 452 votes separating the second and third place finishers:

After 1,652 absentee ballots were counted last week, Fred Evans maintained his first place finish, and Rebecca Smondrowski held a 371 vote lead over Jeanne Ellinport. Today, 2,259 absentee ballots have now been counted, and Ms. Smondrowski is still maintaining a 365 vote lead over Ms. Ellinport. This may be the end of this race, as Ellinport has only netted a handful of votes through the absentee count. See the current unofficial results below:

Board of Education District 002 | Non-Partisan (Vote for One)
Name	Party	Early Voting	Election Day	Absentee / Provisional	Total Votes	Percentage
Saqib Ali	Non-Partisan	860	6,021	230	7111	10.3%
Susan Byrne	Non-Partisan	1,463	12,381	627	14471	21.0%
Jeanne Ellinport	Non-Partisan	2,031	12,477	458	14966	21.7%
Fred Evans	Non-Partisan	2,098	14,429	571	17098	24.8%
Rebecca Smondrowski	Non-Partisan	1,745	13,213	373	15331	22.2%

---

Congratulations to Fred Evans & Rebecca Smondrowski!

Montgomery & Frederick School Board Primaries May Come Down to Absentees // Two Analyses of the Results

Below Maryland Juice prints two analyses from Maryland politicos regarding potentially up-in-the-air results in Montgomery and Frederick counties.

A Close Race in Montgomery // Background: In Montgomery County, the District 2 Board of Education primary will ultimately yield two winners who will proceed to the November General Election. But currently, the second and third place finishers are separated by about 450 votes, with over 3,000 absentee ballots outstanding. A Leisure World Democratic Club leader and advocate Paul Bessel provides a micro-analysis of the race. Leisure World is a massive retirement community in Montgomery County with a large Democratic Club, and its super-large precincts have historically had the highest turnout in Maryland. Bessel looks at the District 2 results thus far in the Board of Education race, and he concludes that the outcome could shift. Read his take below. The current results are as follows (click to enlarge):

A Close Race in Frederick // Background: Meanwhile, in Frederick County, the Frederick News-Post editorial board notes that Tea Party leader Blaine Young received a rebuke from voters, given the strong showing of teachers union-backed candidates in last Tuesday's school board primaries. Young has triggered famous wars with public employees in his quest to raise his profile for a run at the Governor's mansion. Nevertheless, the News-Post ed. board highlighted the potential for the results to shift slightly, given the large number of outstanding absentee ballots (relative to the narrow margins). The Frederick Primary is a preview battle for three seats on the county's school board. In last Tuesday's election, voters were allowed to select three candidates out of twelve -- but the top six will proceed to the November ballot. Read the Frederick News-Post's take below. The current results are as follows (click to enlarge):

To help guide you through the math of whether any election results might change, you may want to take a look at the numbers of absentee ballots that were mailed out by the Board of Elections - [Absentee Totals Here]. Also, note that ballots will continue being counted until April 13, 2012.

Maryland Schedule of Ballot Tabulation:

1. Early Voting: Reporting (Early Voting Results are expected to be posted by 8:30 p.m. on Election Night)
2. Election Night: 1851 of 1851 Precincts Reporting
3. Absentee 1: Reporting (The Absentee 1 canvass begins April 5, 2012)
4. Provisional: Not Reported (The Provisional canvass begins April 11, 2012)
5. Absentee 2: Not Reported (The Absentee 2 canvass begins April 13, 2012)

Current Leisure World Democratic Club Leaders : Paul Bessel is standing next to President Obama

MoCo Board of Education District 2 Outcome Could Change // by PAUL BESSEL

REPORT: MD Absentee Ballots Received Per District & County // P.S. MoCo School Board Has 452-Vote Margin w/ 3K Absentees

Maryland Juice was just flipping through the Maryland absentee ballot counts, so I thought I'd share them all with you. The numbers below show how many voters received absentee ballots, and how many have mailed them back. The numbers are split by Congressional District, and then by County. If you are monitoring any races that are currently too close to call, this may help you get a feel for your candidate's chances. Below, for example, the numbers give us an idea of whether the Montgomery County Board of Education results might change in the District 2 race.

SPOTLIGHT: 3,000+ ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN MOCO: One initial thing I've noted is that there appear to be well over 3,000 absentee ballots that have not yet been counted in Montgomery County. That means that the close result in the countywide Board of Education District 2 Primary *could* flip. The second and third place finishers are currently separated by a margin of 451 votes. You can think of a few scenarios why this result could change. For example, a candidate could be doing exceedingly well with absentee voters within a certain strong absentee demographic, or there could be a mundane scenario where a candidate simply didn't target absentee voters. Even still, I think a reversal is not terribly likely, given that there was a crowded field of strong challengers in the D2 race. That means for one candidate to gain 451 votes, they would have to do disproportionately well compared to their rivals. We'll know soon enough! See the pre-absentee results in the MoCo school board D2 race below. The absentees results will hopefully be out soon.

MOCO BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 2 (Results Without Absentee Counts)

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

Maryland Absentee Ballots Sent and Received - April 2012 Primary

MoCo Board of Education Primaries Bring Mixed Results for Washington Post & Teachers Union Endorsed Candidates

BACKGROUND: Only the most demented among Maryland politicos could enjoy following the longstanding endorsement rivalry between The Washington Post and Montgomery County's teachers union (aka MCEA). If you happen to be one of these deranged politicos, note that last night's Board of Education results in Montgomery County are a mixed bag for both The Washington Post and MCEA.

In both the Board of Education District 2 and At-Large races, voters were asked to choose only one candidate in each race. These "primaries" are non-partisan, and so in both the District 2 and At Large races, the top two finishers will appear on the November General Election ballot.

Board of Education District 2 (Vote for One): For the District 2 race, MCEA endorsed two candidates: Fred Evans and Jeanne Ellinport. Meanwhile, The Washington Post endorsed Rebecca Smondrowski. This skirmish will continue into November, as Fred Evans and Rebecca Smondrowski are the top two finishers in the unofficial vote totals. The 2nd MCEA-backed candidate Jeanne Ellinport trails Smondrowski by 451 votes, which represents over half of a percentage point difference between the two candidates.

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

Board of Education At Large (Vote for One): In the Board of Education At Large race, MCEA-backed incumbent Phil Kauffman dominated the primary election, winning over 60% of the vote. His nearest challenger, The Washington Post-backed Morris Panner, was over 42 points behind. Nevertheless, the At Large school board race is another race where MCEA and The Washington Post-backed candidates took the top two spots. That means this skirmish will also continue into November.

1. Phil Kauffman - 38,722 - (60.3%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Morris Panner - 10,897 - (17.0%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Lou August - 7,649 - (11.9%)
4. Aryeh Shudofsky - 6,947 - (10.8%)

More on the MoCo Board of Education races soon!