CUMBERLAND — Incumbent Crystal Bender and newcomer Max Green placed first and second, respectively, in the race for the Allegany County Board of Education in unofficial results from Tuesday’s general election.
The race featured two open seats on the five-member board with four candidates running.
The unofficial totals in the nonpartisan contest, with all 30 precincts reporting, had Bender with 13,545 votes followed by Green with 12,149.
Tammy Fraley, another incumbent seeking reelection, came in third place with 11,020 votes. Finishing fourth was Gerry LaFemina with 4,115 votes.
If the results are certified, Bender and Green will join current members Robert Farrell, David Bohn and Lori Lepley to round out the five-seat board.
Elections for the BOE posts are staggered with seats up for election every two years to avoid having all seats open at the same time.
The school board has no limits on the number of terms a member can serve. Fraley was first elected in 2016.
Green, a newcomer, told the Times-News this was his first time running for any office. A resident of Cumberland’s West Side, Green is an IT project manager for the U.S. Senate Sergeant of Arms department on Capitol Hill.
Bender’s first-place showing garnered 33% of the votes with Green receiving 29.6%.
The breakdown on the Maryland State Board of Election website reported Bender with 3,512 early votes, 1,281 mail-in ballots and 8,752 votes on Election Day.
Green had 3,030 early votes and 1,092 mail-in ballots while receiving 8,027 votes on Election Day.