Colmar Manor chair praises record turnout; council member flags ballot access problem

The chair of the Colmar Manor council thanked candidates, volunteers and town staff for their work on the recent election and said the town saw a "record voter turnout that I am so proud of, over 300 people." The chair urged residents to remain engaged beyond election day and to participate in meetings and volunteer efforts.

The remarks named the Board of Elections, the League of Women Voters and town staff, including Dan Spielman, Melissa Flores, Dan Baden, Chief Stone, Ilhan Abdi and Al Neiman, as people the chair said helped make the election possible. "Elections require an incredible amount of work behind the scenes, and our community benefits because of your dedication," the chair said.

Council member Vivian Jackson said she has returned to represent Ward 3 after previously serving a 10-year term and thanked residents for their support. Jackson said she received roughly 72 votes in her unopposed race and added that several residents have told her they were not given the opportunity to vote for her on election day. "I've had residents telling me that they did not have the opportunity to vote for me on that day," Jackson said, adding the matter "is something that we can discuss at a later date." The council did not resolve the allegation during the remarks.

Following the brief remarks, the chair called the meeting to order and announced a public hearing on the town budget would take place. No budget details or votes were discussed in these opening remarks; the hearing was presented as the next item on the agenda.