Vote-Counting Begins In Md. Gubernatorial Election
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The gubernatorial race is expected to be incredibly close and now the counting has begun.
Mary Bubala reports from Anthony Brown's headquarters.
The final push to the polls has been intense for the Brown-Ulman campaign.
They didn't waste a moment. The candidates and their supporters were out early urging people to vote for them.
Supporters lined the road and chanted as Brown's caravan arrived at a polling place in Prince George's County.
The lieutenant governor started his last day of campaigning-- first by casting a ballot himself at St. Joseph Parish Center in Upper Marlboro.
Brown knows every vote counts in this election, especially as some polls show it's neck and neck.
"As I have always said, we are never complacent, we weren't in the primary, we had a decisive victory, we stuck to the fundamentals— a clear message about fighting for working families and middle class values I've got a campaign organization second to none," Brown said.
From Prince George's County to Baltimore City, the lieutenant governor criss-crossed the state.
It's an unprecedented "get out the vote" effort.
Brown hopes to be celebrating at the alumni center at the University of Maryland, but the race is much closer than he predicted five months ago in College Park on Primary night.
In the last several days, both candidates brought out heavy hitters to help them win votes. Just Monday, First Lady Michelle Obama campaigned for the lieutenant governor during an appearance in Baltimore City.
Jessica Kartalija spoke with gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan.
Larry Hogan and his wife Yumi cast their ballots in Edgewater before doing some last minute campaigning.
"We've run a tough fight and it's been a long campaign and we're feeling great that so many Democrats, independents and Republicans are looking to vote for a change of direction in our state," Hogan said.
Then it was off to Annapolis with a stop at Chick and Ruth's, where Hogan hopes to add
his photo to the Wall of Governors.
Then off to Prince George's County, where Hogan continued to urge Marylanders to vote Republican.
It was some last-minute campaigning with Hogan supporters making a final push for votes. He stumped in Greenbelt and Bowie.
"Then, when I saw the governor standing there, the future governor, I just had to stop by and shake his band because you can really feel the momentum. You can feel the love; you can see it as the cars drive by supporting him and I think the tide is going to turn and I think we are going to win this one," said Joni McDuffy.
"We've been getting this kind of reaction everywhere in the state," Hogan said. "I hate to make predictions but we are feeling really optimistic and good and I think we have a chance to win this race but we need to get every possible vote out to the polls. It's going to be a really close race."
Stay with WJZ for complete coverage of today's elections and all the results.
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