# 1978 Maryland county executive elections

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Question P :
Government :
vte :
The Maryland county executive elections of 1978 took place on November 7, 1978. Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County elected county executives.

## Anne Arundel County
### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Robert A. Pascal, incumbent county executive (previously ran for governor)

##### Eliminated in primary

* Daniel J. Bedsole, barber shop owner

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Robert A. Pascal (incumbent) | 9,165 | 81.8% |
| | Republican | Daniel J. Bedsole | 2,034 | 18.2% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Elmer E. Dunn Sr., accountant

##### Eliminated in primary

* Charles G. Taylor, administrative hearing officer
* Marvin O. Morris, perennial candidate
* Frederick R. Poole, retired business consultant and perennial candidate

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Elmer E. Dunn Sr. | 13,296 | 45.2% |
| Democratic | Charles G. Taylor | 10,815 | 36.8% |
| Democratic | Marvin O. Morris | 3,126 | 10.6% |
| Democratic | Frederick R. Poole | 2,157 | 7.3% |

### General election
#### Results

Anne Arundel County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Robert A. Pascal (incumbent) | 49,323 | 62.2% |
| Democratic | Elmer E. Dunn Sr. | 30,013 | 37.8% |
| Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Baltimore County
### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Donald P. Hutchinson, state senator

##### Eliminated in primary

* Lorraine F. Chircus, county school board member
* John C. Coolahan, state senator
* S. Eric DiNenna, county zoning commissioner
* Edward A. Griffith, real estate broker
* John V. Murphy, county councilmember
* Howard J. Needle, state delegate

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Donald P. Hutchinson | 28,637 | 23.5% |
| Democratic | John C. Coolahan | 24,969 | 20.5% |
| Democratic | Howard J. Neelde | 23,054 | 18.9% |
| Democratic | John V. Murphy | 21,159 | 17.3% |
| Democratic | S. Eric DiNenna | 15,535 | 12.7% |
| Democratic | Edward A. Griffith | 5,337 | 4.4% |
| Democratic | Lorraine F. Chircus | 3,302 | 2.7% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Eugene L. Kibbe Jr., county councilmember

##### Eliminated in primary

* Joan L. Edwards
* Clarence E. Ritter, county councilmember

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Eugene L. Kibbe Jr. | 10,622 | 56.0% |
| Republican | Clarence E. Ritter | 5,881 | 31.0% |
| Republican | Joan L. Edwards | 2,461 | 13.0% |

### General election
#### Results

Baltimore County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Donald P. Hutchinson | 106,518 | 58.0% |
| Republican | Eugene L. Kibbe Jr. | 77,006 | 42.0% |
| Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## Harford County
### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* J. Thomas Barranger, candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in 1974

##### Eliminated in primary

* Charles B. Anderson Jr., incumbent county executive
* William Cooper Jr., county councilmember

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | J. Thomas Barranger | 7,685 | 43.5% |
| Democratic | Charles B. Anderson Jr. (incumbent) | 5,539 | 31.3% |
| Democratic | William Cooper Jr. | 4,453 | 25.2% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* William B. Davidson Jr., former chair of the Harford County Economic Development Commission

##### Eliminated in primary

* C. Joseph Bernardo, history professor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William B. Davidson Jr. | 2,824 | 63.1% |
| | Republican | C. Joseph Bernardo | 1,650 | 36.9% |

### General election
#### Results

Harford County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | J. Thomas Barranger | 18,533 | 60.6% |
| Republican | William B. Davidson Jr. | 12,069 | 39.4% |
| Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## Howard County
### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* J. Hugh Nichols, state delegate

##### Eliminated in primary

* Edward L. Cochran, incumbent county executive
* William B. Davidson Jr., former justice of the peace

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | J. Hugh Nichols | 9,257 | 57.2% |
| Democratic | Edward L. Cochran (incumbent) | 6,083 | 37.6% |
| Democratic | C. Howard Strahler, Jr. | 848 | 5.2% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* James S. Ansell, lawyer and candidate for Howard County Executive in 1970

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | James S. Ansell | Unopposed | Unopposed |

### General election
#### Results

Howard County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | J. Hugh Nichols | 23,134 | 79.5% |
| Republican | James S. Ansell | 5,970 | 20.5% |
| Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## Montgomery County
### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Richmond M. Keeney, former county councilmember

##### Eliminated in primary

* Albert Ceccone, real estate and insurance broker
* Gerald C. Warren

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Richmond M. Keeney | 11,385 | 57.2% |
| Republican | Albert Ceccone | 5,198 | 26.1% |
| Republican | Gerald C. Warren | 3,304 | 16.6% |

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Charles W. Gilchrist, state senator

##### Eliminated in primary

* Royce Hanson, chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board
* John L. Menke, county councilmember

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Charles W. Gilchrist | 28,418 | 47.0% |
| Democratic | Royce Hanson | 20,141 | 33.3% |
| Democratic | John L. Menke | 11,881 | 19.7% |

### General election
#### Results

Montgomery County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Charles W. Gilchrist | 98,385 | 62.4% |
| Republican | Richmond M. Keeney | 59,298 | 37.6% |
| Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## Prince George's County
### Democratic primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Winfield M. Kelly Jr., incumbent county executive

##### Eliminated in primary

* John Lee Ball Jr., newspaper ad salesman
* Vincent Goodsell, former director of the Prince George's County Aging Programs
* John Eugene Sellner, real estate sales associate

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Winfield M. Kelly Jr. (incumbent) | 29,003 | 57.9% |
| Democratic | Vincent Goodsell | 9,384 | 18.7% |
| Democratic | John Lee Ball Jr. | 8,094 | 16.2% |
| Democratic | John Eugene Sellner | 3,607 | 7.2% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates
##### Nominee

* Lawrence Hogan, former U.S. representative from Maryland's 5th congressional district

##### Eliminated in primary

* Martin Aragona, real estate developer
* Dale Everett

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Lawrence Hogan | 9,831 | 72.1% |
| Republican | Martin Aragona | 3,309 | 24.3% |
| Republican | Dale D. Everett | 495 | 3.6% |

### General election
#### Results

Prince George's County Executive election, 1978 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Lawrence Hogan | 66,424 | 57.9% |
| Democratic | Winfield M. Kelly Jr. (incumbent) | 48,207 | 42.1% |
| Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |