Streight widens lead, Branch narrows gap with Gregory after first round of mail-ins

ELKTON — Election workers tallied the votes on about 2,000 of the approximately 4,500 mail-in ballots on Thursday, two days after the primary, and two of the closest races for Cecil County positions still remain undecided, according to numbers released by election workers Thursday evening.

In the Republican race for county executive, challenger Adam Streight’s total rose to 6,885 votes while incumbent Danielle Hornberger’s climbed to 6,195 votes, translating to a 690-vote lead for Streight. The mail-in canvassing on Thursday added 980 votes to the total for Streight, who had 5,905 votes (52.26 percent) on Tuesday night — with all of this county’s 28 walk-in voting precincts reporting. Hornberger, who had received 5,394 votes (47.74 percent) on Tuesday, gained 801 votes on Thursday. After the mail-in canvassing on Thursday, Streight’s lead jumped from 511 votes to 690.

Election officials reported that they will resume canvassing mail-in ballots on May 22 and then finish counting them on May 24, in accordance with a law that sets the timetable.

Meanwhile, in a much closer Republican primary race, challenger Dawn Branch picked up 916 additional votes on Thursday, bringing her total to 6,230 and leaving her with 10 fewer votes than incumbent councilwoman Jackie Gregory, whose total went to 6,240. Gregory received 686 mail-in votes on Thursday. On Tuesday night, after the walk-in polls had closed, Gregory led Branch by 240 votes. Specifically, Gregory had received 5,554 votes (51.10 percent) and Branch had garnered 5,314 votes (48.90 percent).

Election workers canvassed the mail-in ballots Thursday inside the County Administration Building’s Elk Room, where the county council holds its meetings. The part of the Elk Room in which the tallying took place was cordoned off. Late Thursday afternoon, some watchers and two candidates — Streight and Branch — stood at the barrier and observed the process.

Election officials will canvass provisional ballots on Wednesday, May 22. They will reconvene to count the remaining mail-in ballots on Friday, May 24.