Baltimore County Finalizes General Election Vote Count
Elections officials are processing over 4,100 remaining ballots in a closely watched council race in Dundalk.
By Martin Reynolds ·
Baltimore County election officials began processing the final batch of mail-in and provisional ballots on Thursday, Nov. 13. This final step is required to certify the results of the 2026 general election in the jurisdiction. The count includes any ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 that have since arrived at the office, as well as provisional votes.
The race for the District 9 council seat in the Dundalk area remains undecided. Democratic nominee Arkia Wade holds a lead as of the previous evening. She reported being ahead by 92 votes while waiting at the Board of Elections in Owings Mills. Wade stated that mail-in ballots shifted the result in her favor after she trailed following Election Day.
Wade noted that the waiting period mirrors her primary election experience. She won that earlier contest by a margin of 41 votes. Her opponent, Tim Fazenbaker, did not respond to requests for an interview regarding the current status of the race.
Rue LaVoie, the Baltimore County Elections Director, explained that staff members are working extended hours to complete the canvass. The team is currently reviewing more than 4,100 ballots. Once this specific group of votes is tallied and verified, LaVoie will have the authority to certify the final outcomes for the county.
LaVoie attributed the extended timeline to the physical size of this year's ballot. The document spans four pages, which requires each individual sheet to pass through the scanning equipment. She noted that this process is more time-consuming than handling smaller ballots.
Under standard conditions, the office typically processes between 10,000 and 15,000 ballots per day. The four-page format has reduced that daily capacity, making the final days of counting slower than usual. The completion of the provisional and final mail-in canvass is the last administrative step before the results are formally recognized.
The Board of Elections in Owings Mills has remained open to observers. Wade has been present daily to monitor the counting procedures. The certification process will conclude only after all timely received ballots and provisional votes have been fully accounted for in the total.
