Among the counties across the state contesting elections for their Commissioners, Councils, and Executives last night… only two, Garrett and Caroline, will return their full complement of elected officials for the next term. Both counties, perhaps not coincidentally, have only three County Commissioners.

Garrett County is used to being something of an anomaly in Maryland policy and politics – a large part of the county lies West of the continental divide, and its waters nominally run into the Gulf of Mexico, rather than the Chesapeake Bay. In 2014, the Garrett County voters turned over all three of its Commissioner seats, but in 2018 the status quo prevailed. Commissioners Paul Edwards, James Hinebaugh, and Larry Tichnell have been reelected to office.

In Caroline County, Commissioners Larry Porter and Wilbur Levengood have served since 2010 and will be entering their third term. Commissioner Franklin was first elected in 2014 and will be entering his second term. In the republican primary, the results were fairly close for the incumbents, but the November general election provided a more comfortable margin.