CAMBRIDGE, Md. - No single candidate received a majority of votes in Cambridge's mayoral election on Saturday, sending the race to a runoff in December.
Cephas and Bradshaw Face Off
City Council President Lajan Cephas and former Mayor Andrew Bradshaw were the top two vote-getters. Cephas received 42.5% of the vote, while Bradshaw received 40.9%. Former Commissioner Lashon Banks-Foster garnered 16.4% of the vote.
Cephas says those results show the people of Cambridge are ready to move on. "60 percent of our voters are not in favor of going back to any old style of business." she said.
"We were actually expecting it to be a runoff and we're fully prepared on December 3rd for the numbers to show the same thing. That we're not going back to any of that," Cephas continued.
While Bradshaw is focused on securing voters in the roughly five weeks between now and the runoff. "The goal is going to be to get more people to come out, to get engaged, to kind of make a decision of what they think is the future for the city," he said.
Bradshaw's Resignation and Guilty Plea
Cephas is turning her attention to Bradshaw's January 2022 resignation on revenge porn charges. He resigned as the city's Mayor, saying in a statement that he lost the confidence of the City Council and cannot maintain relationships with local, state and federal leaders.
Bradshaw told WBOC back in August when he entered the race "I think when people face adversity that’s when they find out who they truly are and how they can move forward. There was a great deal of regret for how things happened - now I’m stronger and a bit wiser, and able to move forward and provide the leadership Cambridge needs.”
But Cephas says his past continues to impede his ability to lead. "He's lost faith of the council, he doesn't have any built relationships and that's what led him to resign. And I think he should continue to use his time away to reflect so Cambridge can continue to move forward to better the lives of its residents and our investors," she said.
Bradshaw responded to Cephas' statement, saying both candidates should be focused on the future. "If we're to look to the past then there are going to be issues that people bring up to both of us, And I don't think its fair for her to do that just as I wouldn't want people to do that to me," he said.
Commissioner Races Decided
Cambridge voters also voted on all five commissioner wards on Saturday. All of those races were decided, with none needing a runoff election.
In Ward 1, Commissioner Laurel Atkiss, first elected in a special election last year lost her bid for a full term. Brett Summers received 54.5% of the vote, to Atkiss' 45.4%.
In Ward 2, which is open due to Cephas' run for Mayor, Shay Lewis-Sisco is the winner with 50.9% of the vote. She beat Nancy Jackson, Jermaine Anderson and Jenna LeCompte.
In Ward 3, former Commissioner Frank Stout won with 73.4% of the vote over Gary Gordy.
And in Wards 4 and 5, incumbents Sputty Cephas and Brian Roche will return to City Hall. Cephas received 54.1% of the vote over challenger Dave Cannon, while Roche ran unopposed.
Runoff Election
Cambridge's runoff election for Mayor will take place on Tuesday, December 3. The city has not announced when polls will be open, but like the general election, in-person voting will take place at 447 Race Street, Cambridge, MD 21613.
