Almost 25 percent of all of the candidates whose names will appear on the ballot Sept. 12 in Prince George’s County filed in the hours before Monday’s 9 p.m. deadline. There are 132 candidates running in the county, according to an unofficial list released Monday night by the Board of Elections, with nearly 50 percent of those candidates entering within the last week.
District races for Prince George’s County Board of Education races saw the biggest leap in candidates, with the District 5 seat going from having one contestant two weeks ago to eight by Monday night. And some Democratic and Republican party central committee races went from having no candidates to several.
William Franklinsaid he waited to file his candidate paperwork for the District 25 Republican Central Committee race Monday night at the board offices in Upper Marlboro until he was sure it wouldn’t upset the balance he’s struck between his family, work and law school.
“I wanted to make sure in continuing my commitment [that] I was doing the right thing,” Franklin said, while his toddler son played with a clump of car keys at his feet.
Jacques Chevalier returned Monday night to withdraw as an at-large Board of Education candidate and re-enter the race as a District 2 candidate.
Chevalier said he felt the first election after the 2002 state-mandated reorganization of the board was flawed by having district candidates for the primary but then making all candidates run countywide for the general election.
“It’s sinful and shameful and rotten and any other bad word you can think of,” Chevalier said.
