ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — A close 5th District race between incumbent Councilmember Amanda Fiedler and first-time candidate Natalie Ogilvie ended with the seat flipping to the Democrats over the weekend.
Latest results released by the Maryland State Board of Elections show Ogilvie taking 19,342 votes, 50.89%, to Fiedler's 18,635 ballots, or 49.03% of the ballots.
Not long after mail-in ballot results trickled in, Ogilvie proclaimed victory in the race, thanking Fiedler for her time in office and recognizing that her County Council bid was the culmination of a "truly coordinated team effort."
"I am honored and ready to serve District 5 with respect, integrity, transparency, and a commitment to listening to every voice in our community. I look forward to building relationships, finding common ground, and working collaboratively to move our district, and Anne Arundel County forward," Ogilvie wrote in a Facebook post.
"Thank you for believing in this campaign and for giving me the opportunity to serve. I will carry that gratitude with me as I begin this next chapter as your next Councilwoman for District 5!"
Ogilvie's win marks the first time a Democrat has held the seat since the late 1980s, as well as the first time a Latina was elected to serve on the County Council, The Banner reported.
Fiedler conceded her 5th District bid on Saturday, saying in a message to supporters that "today's mail-in ballot returns were not the results we had hoped for, but no elected office is ever guaranteed."
"I'm proud of the honest campaign my team ran, and the volunteers who have been part of Team Fiedler for a decade," she wrote in a Facebook post.
"Thank you, District 5! It was an honor to represent you and one of the most rewarding experiences of my lifetime."
Fiedler had been favored to win the race and maintain her position on the County Council.
The 5th District, which represents residents in parts of Severna Park, Gambrills, Severn, Millersville and the Broadneck Peninsula, was one of two races closely watched.
The second race is in the 7th District between Democrat Spencer Jones and Republican incumbent Dawn Pulliam. MSBE results show Pulliam ahead of Jones by just 14 votes, with 17,454 and 17,440 votes, respectively.
Should Jones take the lead, Democrats will hold a 6-1 majority on the County Council.
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