After Delays, Johnson Is Reelected; Wynn Appears to Lead in House Race

Unlike in Montgomery County, where an error on the part of election workers wreaked havoc at polls through much of the day, voting ran mostly smoothly in Prince George's. The ballot counting process was a different story.

Election workers said they had trouble transmitting results electronically from precincts to a central tabulating office. Widespread confusion then resulted as workers removed voting cards from individual machines and drove them to the Board of Elections headquarters in Upper Marlboro. By late afternoon yesterday, data still had not been received from 81 of the county's 2,056 voting machines. The numbers represented two whole precincts -- in Chillum and Landover -- as well as cards from individual machines at 34 polling stations.

At a news conference, Johnson called the problems "abysmal" and said, "We've been doing elections for 200 years, and it seems we still can't get it right."

As questions swirled for much of the day about the unusual delays, county elections supervisors declined to offer a full explanation to reporters. County elections Administrator Robert J. Antonetti Sr. said his office was still reviewing why some precincts did not get their vote totals to elections officials until late yesterday.

"The lack of a paper trail with this election equipment is an absolute disaster," said Edwards. She said she was "outraged" that voting cards had not been secured a day after balloting. "It's important that voters' interests are honored."

But the outcome of the county executive race appeared to be settled. No Prince George's incumbent has been defeated since 1978. Johnson's predecessor Wayne K. Curry (D) was unopposed when he ran for reelection in 1998, and Parris N. Glendening, who went on to become governor, won 75 percent of the vote when he last ran for reelection as county executive in 1990.

Both men endorsed Baker last week, however, creating momentum that brought him to the edge of victory. Baker may have been particularly successful in convincing voters that Johnson had not done enough to curb crime.

The county's police force has grown under Johnson's administration, and the election results were a sign that residents believe crime is decreasing. But many residents recall last year's record number of homicides, which Baker referenced in a television commercial aired months ago, complaining of a "Johnson crime wave."

In other races, all seven council incumbents running for a second term on the county's legislative body won the primary. College Park council member Eric C. Olson won election to one of the council's two open seats. Ingrid M. Turner, a former Navy judge advocate general commander, was ahead by 100 votes in a race for the other, though absentee and provisional ballots had not been tallied.

Staff writers Hamil R. Harris and Eric Rich contributed to this report.