SALISBURY — Among the sweeping changes in the local government in the wake of Tuesday’s election was a complete makeover of sorts in Wicomico County with an upset in the County Executive race and four new faces on the County Council.
Local government on the Lower Shore underwent a remarkable transformation this week following Tuesday’s General Election, but perhaps no individual area experience a makeover more pronounced then Wicomico County. Incumbent Democrat County Executive Rick Pollitt, Jr. was upset by sitting County Council President and Republican Bob Culver, who received 13,631 total votes, or 56 percent, to defeat Pollitt, who received 10,704, or 47 percent.
Culver’s victory created a void on a Wicomico County Council already undergoing a rather remarkable transformation even before the first vote was cast. In the council’s race for two at-large seats, incumbent Council President and Republican Matt Holloway garnered the most votes in Tuesday’s three-candidate election with 15,098, or 39 percent.
Former Councilman and Republican John Cannon received the second-most votes in the at-large Council election on Tuesday and will replace Culver, who won the County Executive race, on the elected body with 13,956 total votes, or 36 percent. Current Salisbury City Councilwoman Laura Mitchell finished third in the at-large Wicomico Council race with 9,706 votes, or 25 percent. Mitchell will retain her seat on the Salisbury City Council.
In the Wicomico Council District 1 race, Democrat Ernest Davis ran unopposed in his race to replace longtime Councilmember Sheree Sample-Hughes, who ran unopposed in her bid to replace longtime House Delegate Rudy Cane in District 37A, a seat that became vacant earlier this year when sitting longtime Delegate Rudy Cane announced he would not seek re-election.
In District 2, Republican Marc Kilmer garnered 4,537 total votes, or 68 percent, on Tuesday, topping Democratic challenger Kirby Travers, who earned 2,128, or 32 percent. Kilmer will replace long-time Councilmember Stevie Prettyman, who did not seek re-election.
In District 3, Republican Larry Dodd earned 3,464 total votes, or 62 percent, to defeat Joshua Hastings, who gained 2,094, or 38 percent. Dodd will replace long-time Councilmember Gail Bartkovich, who did not seek re-election. In District 4, sitting member John Hall ran unopposed and retained his seat, while in District 5, Joe Holloway ran unopposed and retained his seat. Overall, four of the seven Wicomico Council, or a majority of the council seats, changed over on Tuesday.