Major Upsets In Howard, Anne Arundel County Executive Races
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Two counties flipped from red to blue Tuesday night, in county executive upsets in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties.
Both men who got the job are taking it from incumbents.
"I think people were looking for a positive message, a forward-thinking message, and I think people were looking for a change," said Calvin Ball, winner in Howard County's race.
Longtime Howard County councilman Ball garnered 52 percent of the votes over incumbent Republican Allan Kittleman, who drove to Ball and conceded in person Tuesday night.
Ball becomes the first person of color ever elected to this position. He said his next steps will be to focus on education.
"I think people want Howard County to be that innovative leader. To be that place where people, not only in the state of Maryland, but around the whole region, look toward us as that beacon of excellence and that beacon of light and hope," Ball said.
A second upset came in Anne Arundel County, where polls showed incumbent Steve Schuh leading or tied with Democrat Steuart Pittman.
But as results rolled in, Pittman edged to a win by just a few points.
"My goal is to restore people's trust in their local government," Pittman said.
Pittman said he has already started work on the county's 20-year development plan, using his experience as a community organizer.
"We need to really plan our development and growth. And they believed that I would do that because I was the outsider, I was the newcomer, and I wasn't part of that industry,"
Both Ball and Pittman will be installed December 3.
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