CHESTERTOWN — Election Day results for locally contested primary races held up after three post-election canvasses, the last of which was Monday, July 6.
Seven-term incumbent Ron Fithian came out on top in the Republican contest for Kent County Commissioner while Sam Shoge, a former Chestertown councilman, headed the field of four candidates on the Democratic ballot.
Also, Nivek Johnson defeated fellow Chestertown resident John Queen in the Democratic primary for District 36 state senator.
According to the election calendar, the State Board of Canvassers is scheduled to convene by July 23 to certify the election results.
The Republican primary for county commissioner was closely contested between Fithian and fellow incumbents Albert Nickerson and John Price.
Nickerson [202] held a slim lead over Price [197] and Fithian [196] after early voting June 11-18, but Fithian ascended to the top after Election Day on June 23 and led through two mail-in canvasses and one canvass of provisional ballots.
At the end, Fithian [1,075] garnered 34% of the vote, Nickerson [1,056] was second with 33.4% and Price [1,030] followed with 32.6%.
On the Democratic side, Shoge’s margin of victory was more substantial. He led wire to wire, receiving 412 early votes — 65 more than John Carroll, his nearest challenger — and adding to that advantage on Election Day and through three post-election counts.
Shoge finished with 1,587 votes, or 31.33%.
Carroll was second [1,362, 26.89%], followed by Thad Beach [1,214, 23.97%] and David Foster [902, 17.81%].
Carroll is a former Galena mayor, and currently serves on the town council.
Foster is a former Chestertown mayor.
Bench is a first-time candidate.
Shoge, Carroll and Bench move on to the general election in November against the Republican slate of incumbents Fithian, Nickerson and Price.
In the Democratic primary for state senator in District 36, which includes all of Kent and Queen Anne’s counties and parts of Cecil and Caroline counties, Johnson won 57% of the vote compared to Queen’s 43%.
In Kent, voters chose Johnson over Queen, 1,219-794.
In the general election, Johnson will face off against incumbent Steve Hershey, who was unopposed in the Republican primary.
Republican incumbent Jay Jacobs, a former Rock Hall mayor, did not have a challenger in the primary in his bid to return as the District 36 delegate representing Kent County.
Two-term Democratic incumbent Bryan DiGregory and Republican challenger Matt Crouch were unopposed in their respective primary for Kent County state’s attorney and will face off in November.
Also in Kent, Sheriff Dennis Hickman, Clerk of the Circuit Court Sherise Kennard and Register of Wills Kristi Osborn face no opposition in the general election.
According to the Maryland Board of Elections, there were 11,113 eligible active voters in Kent County for the 2026 gubernatorial primary — 5,554 Democrats and 5,559 Republicans.
Kent County’s unofficial voter turnout of 32.9% [3,658 ballots cast out of 11,113 eligible voters] was the highest in the state, according to the Maryland Board of Elections.
Statewide, the voter turnout was 24.18%
