MoCo Election Results: Harris Projected To Win School Board Seat

Updated 2:40 p.m.

BETHESDA, MD — Lynne Harris, a medical science teacher at Thomas Edison High School of Technology, is projected to win the at-large seat on Montgomery County's Board of Education after her challenger conceded Wednesday morning.

According to unofficial early election results, Harris was leading Dr. Sunil Dasgupta with 53.0 percent (or 134,706 votes). Dasgupta — a university professor and father of three MCPS students — trailed behind her with 45.8 percent (116,418 votes).

Dasgupta conceded to Harris Wednesday morning, releasing a statement on Twitter that read:

My congratulations to Lynne Harris, our next At-Large BOE member. The BOE is getting an experienced, fierce advocate who will center student voices & help lead us through this difficult time. I look fwd to working w Lynne to support students, staff & families. So much to be done! pic.twitter.com/IGJIl2HGon
— Sunil Dasgupta (he/him) (@sunildasgupta4) November 4, 2020

School board races in Maryland's most populous county are usually quiet. But a controversial districtwide review of school boundaries has divided residents and turned the election into an animated and tense debate about race and equity.

Two other seats are contested on the school board: District 2 and District 4.

District 2 incumbent Rebecca Smondrowski has so far clinched 59.8 percent of the vote (142,890), while long-time teacher Michael Fryar has received 39.4 percent of the vote (94,324).

Shebra Evans, who currently serves as the school board's president, has represented District 4 since 2016. She's running against long-time Montgomery County resident Steve Solomon.

According to election officials, Evans is leading at 66.2 percent (or with 160,243 votes) to Solomon's 33.2 percent (or 80,318 votes).

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In addition to selecting three school board members, voters chose which four judges will sit on the county's circuit court bench. Four of the five candidates are sitting judges: Bibi Berry; David Boynton; Christopher Fogleman; and Michael McAuliffe. They all were appointed by the governor and underwent a rigorous vetting process.

Challenger and Rockville attorney Marylin Pierre is hoping to unseat one of the judges by winning the Nov. 3 election. Judges on the circuit court bench serve 15-year terms.

Two additional races affecting Montgomery County voters are between Rep. David Trone (D), Neil Parrott (R), and George Gluck (Green Party) in District 6 and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) and Gregory Thomas Coll (R) in District 8.

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