Vote counting in Baltimore now shows Scott leading for mayor
BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott began leading former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon by nearly 400 votes after more ballots were counted in the city’s Democratic mayoral primary.
The turning point came as nearly 23,000 more ballots were counted Sunday, showing Scott with a 0.3% edge against Dixon, news outlets reported. Scott has 28.7% of the vote to Dixon's 28.4% support. Another candidate, Mary Miller, has 15.5%.
Nearly 18,500 votes have yet to be counted, and still more could arrive, The Baltimore Sun reported. Most were cast by mail to avoid crowds at the polls and mitigate spread of the coronavirus. They had to be postmarked by June 2.
Dixon had been leading, with decreasing margins, until yesterday. Scott wrote he was “humbled” by the support he received in one Twitter post Saturday night, and thanked supporters again after becoming the frontrunner just before midnight on Sunday.
Dixon didn't finish her last term as mayor, resigning in 2010 after three years as part of a plea deal for misappropriating gift cards meant for needy families. She also ran for mayor in 2016, but lost to Catherine Pugh, who resigned last year amid investigations into lucrative sales of her self-published children’s books. Pugh pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges.
Other returns updated Sunday night show state Del. Nick Mosby with 41% of the vote in a Democratic primary race for Baltimore City Council president. His main opponent, City Councilwoman Shannon Sneed, has 29% of the vote.
In the Democratic primary for Baltimore comptroller, City Councilman Bill Henry was leading incumbent Joan Pratt by nearly 10,000 votes.