Navarro credits grassroots campaign with District 4 win Democrat bested Republican challenger by nearly 2-1 margin in race for County Council seat by Nathan Carrick and Amber Parcher The Gazette, May 20, 2009 Democratic candidate and school board member Nancy Navarro claimed victory Tuesday night in the special election to fill the vacant District 4 seat on the Montgomery County Council, crediting her grassroots campaign for the win. Navarro beat the Republican candidate, tax reform advocate and real estate broker Robin Ficker, by a 2-1 margin. George Gluck, the Green Party candidate, came in a distant third. Navarro, who collected about 63 percent of the vote, said she believes her get-out-the-vote campaign expanded the Democratic base to less-frequent voters such as youths and minorities. Her campaign noted that about 3,500 new Democrats who didn't vote in last year's special election came to the polls in April's primary. She said her campaign tried to engage immigrants, working families and ethnic groups on a smaller-scale version of President Obama's national grassroots campaign. "I was told many times, ‘Oh, it's very difficult … folks are just not going to come out,'" she said. She received 6,637 votes out of the total 10,475 votes cast, according to the Montgomery County Board of Elections Web site. Ficker received 3,423 votes, or about 32 percent of the vote, and Gluck received 372 votes, or about 3.5 percent of the vote. The special election was held to fill the seat left vacant by Councilman Don Praisner (D), who died Jan. 30. He won the seat in a special election last spring after his wife, longtime Councilwoman Marilyn J. Praisner (D), died that February. Navarro said her message of bringing jobs to District 4 and supporting policies aimed at helping working families and the elderly — such as health care reform, quality pre-kindergarten education and more youth programs — resonated with voters. Navarro said those goals are a "blueprint" she'll take with her to the council. But she stressed it is only a blueprint, countering criticism that she will be a consistent vote for social change and against big development. Navarro said she believes the two work hand in hand — economic growth lends itself to social improvements, she said. "I truly believe that a strong economic development plan … then gives us the opportunities to address the issues of those who are most vulnerable," she said. She said she will also strike a balance on some of the more contentious issues in District 4, such as the Intercounty Connector and the potential move of the Wheaton Library, by listening to her constituents as well as county and state officials. The low voter turnout in the special election primary on April 21 carried over to the general election, with only 8.8 percent of registered voters in the district coming to the polls. Marjorie Roher, a spokeswoman for the Board of Elections, said there were no reported problems at polling places and vote counting went smoothly. She said she heard about some confusion among some voters in the Olney area who were unsure if they lived in District 4 and were eligible to vote. Cold calling and mailers sent by ZIP code rather than district boundaries may have led to the confusion, she said. The last absentee ballots will be counted at 10 a.m. May 29, after which the Board of Elections will certify the results and forward them to the State Board of Elections for certification. May 29 is the earliest Navarro could be sworn in to office, County Council spokesman Neil H. Greenberger said. However, council members traditionally take a two-week break after passing the county budget, which is expected to happen Thursday, he said. "She could just be sworn in by a judge, but we want to make it more ceremonial and have the council president there," he said, predicting the swearing-in ceremony will not happen until after the council returns to session. Navarro's first meeting as part of the council would not be until June 9, Greenberger said. "By swearing her in early, she'll have a week to get into her office and get settled in," he said. She can use that time to hire staff for her office, he said. In the meantime, Navarro is pledging to hold a series of town hall meetings in the district during the next several months to listen to the concerns of residents. Navarro's school board seat will be filled by appointment after the board interviews interested candidates. Ficker said he was "disappointed that more homeowners didn't vote," noting that in the 2008 general election 40,000 people cast ballots in District 4. "My issue was a good issue," he said, and did not rule out a run for the County Council in 2010. Gluck, 62, of Rockville ran unopposed in this year's primary and received 327 votes in the general election. Gluck said this morning that he is impressed with the number of votes he received, saying it could be a good omen for the Green Party. In last year's special election, Gluck said only 25 registered Green Party voters cast ballots. But with an actual Green Party candidate on the ballot this year, Gluck said the party increased its base. Gluck said about two-thirds of his votes came from people who were not registered in his party. "I actually did better than I originally expected," he said, adding he could be persuaded to run again in 2010. All council seats are up for re-election next year.