Greenbelt voters chose Emmett Jordan for the position of mayor after a long election season that ended on November 2. Furthermore, the 2,675 participating voters chose a city council that is the most geographically diverse council ever elected. Three members are from Greenbelt East, two members from Greenbelt West and two from Greenbelt Center.
Voters re-elected Emmett Jordan, Colin Byrd, Judith Davis, Silke Pope and Rodney Roberts with Jordan gaining the highest number of votes making him the likely new mayor. It added new members Ric Gordon and Kristen Weaver. Weaver, who got the second highest tally, is in line to be mayor pro tem. But no one knew that at 11:30 p.m. The election watch is held in Greenbelt Fire Station where four television sets were tuned to the city’s closed-circuit station. For hours, candidates, supporters and curious citizens watched the city staff count and recount the ballots, but no one knew the results. Some candidates and supporters left, willing to find out the results in the morning.
Finally, at 11:45, the city posted the results. People gathered around the screens and saw … a blurry image.
Candidates and volunteers yanked out their phones and looked at the twitter post, which was clear, if small. People peered onto cell-screens. “Congratulations!” could be heard but still not easily verified.
Within a few minutes, city staff posted a better image and the results were obvious.
Jordan is the presumptive mayor having earned the highest number of votes of any of the candidates. First-time candidate Weaver is the presumptive mayor pro-tem. The rest of the council is made up of the other incumbents and Gordon.
And, as current and returning Councilmember Davis pointed out, for the first time, the new council has representatives from all corners of Greenbelt. Davis, Jordan and Byrd are from Greenbelt East. Weaver and Gordon are from Greenbelt West, while Pope and Roberts both live in central Greenbelt.
Back in the fire house, Jordan thanked his volunteers and other candidates, noting that, “It takes a whole lot of courage to get out there and run for office.” He pledged to work together with the other councilmembers for the good of Greenbelt, and then immediately made good on that promise by inviting all the other newly elected councilmembers to take a moment to speak.
Out-going Mayor Byrd thanked his volunteers and supporters saying that the office has been the “honor of my life.” He also congratulated the incoming mayor and mayor pro tem, then added: “I salute the people of Greenbelt for engaging in this election process.”
Weaver said she was honored and stunned by the results. After saying thank you, she also pledged to work with all of Greenbelt for a better city.
Davis noted that this was her 15th term and she has seen some ups and downs. “This has been a rough year,” she said. “We will make sure we do not make the same mistakes.”
Pope echoed a pledge of unity and thanked her supporters. And Roberts had gone home before the results were posted.
That left council newcomer Gordon, who had run and lost in an earlier election, but tried again because of the encouragement of Kelly “Pop” Ivy. Gordon explained that he started talking about public service with his grandmother when he was 10, so earning a spot on council was a project 30 years in the making. “I’m just happy to serve with such great people.”
!1#Election Results Table 2021
!1#Election Statistics Table 2021
