Image from Ellen Sungatora/iStock/Getty Images Plus.
Two weeks after Election Day, we’re able to crown a winner in Maryland Matters’ election contest.
Congratulations to Joel Beller, former acting director of government affairs with Baltimore County, now with the county’s Department of Housing and Community Development!
Taking advantage of our quirky scoring system, which gave extra credit to those who correctly guessed vote percentages, Beller finished with 16 points. Spencer Jones finished second, with 15 points, while Yosefi Seltzer and David Miller, Maryland’s second gentleman, tied for third with 14 points.
Here were the correct answers for the contest:
1. Who will be elected president of the United States? Donald Trump
2. What will the presidential victor’s percentage of the vote be in Maryland? 62%
3. How many total electoral votes will the presidential winner get? 312
4. Who will win the Maryland election for U.S. Senate? Angela Alsobrooks
5. What percentage of the vote will the Senate winner get? 54%
6. Yes or no — will Maryland’s new senator be serving in the majority come January? No
7. Who will win the election in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District? April McClain Delaney
8. What percentage of the vote will the 6th District winner get? 52.7%
9. Five congressional incumbents in Maryland are on the ballot this year: Reps. Andy Harris (R-1st), Glenn Ivey (D-4th), Steny Hoyer (D-5th), Kweisi Mfume (D-7th) and Jamie Raskin (D-8th). Who will have the biggest winning margin? Glenn Ivey (77.53%)
10. Which of these five will have the smallest winning margin? Andy Harris (22.09%)
11. Democrats Johnny Olszewski Jr. in the 2nd District and Sarah K. Elfreth in the 3rd District are both heavily favored to win the open seats they are seeking. Assuming they do, which one will have the bigger winning margin? (On the outside chance that both lose, we’ll go with the candidate who has the smallest losing margin.) Sarah Elfreth (21.44% to Olszewski’s 17.66%)
12. Which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives come January? Republicans
13. Yes or no — will Charles County voters vote in favor of adopting a charter government? No
14. What percentage of Charles County voters will vote “yes” win in the charter election? 44%
15. Will Wicomico County voters vote in favor of eliminating the county executive position and returning to an all-commissioner form of government? No
16. What percentage of the vote will “yes” win in the Wicomico election? 46%
17. Will Baltimore City voters vote to reduce the size of the City Council from 14 members to eight? No
18. What percentage of the voters will vote in favor of this question? 37%
19. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) is heavily favored for reelection, and City Councilmember Zeke Cohen (D) is heavily favored to be elected City Council president. Who will have the bigger victory margin? Zeke Cohen (78.2% to Scott’s 65.08%)
20. What percentage of the Montgomery County electorate will vote in favor of holding the county executive to a two-term limit? 67%
We also asked three tie-breaking questions, which were not necessary for determining the contest winner:
A. What percentage of the vote will Mike Scott, the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate, get? 2.3%
B. In the 6th Congressional District race, which candidate will carry Frederick County? Delaney
C. In the Montgomery County Board of Education elections, the county teachers’ union has endorsed three candidates in different races: Rita Montoya, Natalie Zimmerman and Laura Stewart. Which of these candidates will win their race? All of them
Beller’s path to victory was built on hitting the correct percentages in Vice President Kamala Harris’ percentage in Maryland, along with Delaney’s percentage in the 6th District and the Baltimore City council vote. He also correctly called the Senate race, the 6th District race, the highest and lowest winning percentages for the congressional incumbents, and Elfreth’s bigger winning margin than Olszewski’s.
But like many of our entrants, Beller struggled calling the local ballot questions — nothing to be ashamed of. Beller was also part of the overwhelming majority of our contest entrants who predicted Harris would be elected president.
Only three people predicted Trump would win — which says something, we guess, about our readers, or political Marylanders generally. Though some of those who predicted Harris would win were identifiable Republicans!
Congrats again to Joel Beller! His prize: Lunch with the Maryland Matters staffer of his choice.
And thanks to all who entered! See you again in 2026!