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Civic Affairs

Analysis

Analysis: Five Council Seats; Two Sitting Names Are Off the November Ballot

Official SBE primary results (12 of 12 precincts, refreshed July 23) and the state specimen general ballot show who advanced — and who did not.

Ibrahim Cole, a Civic Affairs desk pen name ·

Talbot County ballot specimen layout for at-large council seats
AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of Talbot County ballot specimen layout for at-large council seats.

EASTON, MARYLAND — Talbot County Council is five at-large seats on one ballot. Two people who sit on the council now will not be on the November 3 general-election ballot for those seats — Keasha Haythe, who did not appear as a 2026 primary candidate, and Lynn L. Mielke, who finished sixth of six in the Republican primary.

Updated Aug. 4, 2026: After Armstrong’s withdrawal, the Democratic Central Committee named Susan E. Delean-Botkin; specimen ballot names below reflect that change.

Republican primary for County Council (vote for up to 5). Official SBE Talbot results, last refreshed July 23, 2026, 12 of 12 election-day precincts reported: Chuck F. Callahan, III — 2,741 (19.82%) — advanced; Dave Stepp — 2,546 (18.41%) — advanced; Wade Strickland — 2,527 (18.27%) — advanced; Frank Gunsallus — 2,470 (17.86%) — advanced; Christian MacKendrick — 2,193 (15.86%) — advanced; Lynn L. Mielke — 1,352 (9.78%) — did not advance.

Democratic primary for County Council (vote for up to 5), same official file: Pete Lesher — 2,908 (22.81%); Marvin Foster — 2,526 (19.81%); Christopher Armstrong — 2,472 (19.39%); Brian R. Naranjo — 2,460 (19.30%); Michael Bibb — 2,383 (18.69%).

November specimen ballot (Maryland State Board of Elections Talbot general ballot PDF), County Council, vote for up to 5. Democratic names printed: Michael Bibb, Susan E. Delean-Botkin, Marvin Foster, Pete Lesher, Brian R. Naranjo. Republican names printed: Chuck F. Callahan, III, Frank Gunsallus, Christian MacKendrick, Dave Stepp, Wade Strickland. Top five finishers countywide take the seats regardless of party. Resolution 395 remains introduced legislation, not adopted law, on a separate track from this ballot table.

Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, Resolution 395

Drawn from public records; drafted with AI and edited by Peter Gorman before publication.

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