County executive candidate Tonya Sweat sues Prince George’s elections board over eligibility

Aspiring county executive candidate Tonya Sweat has sued the Prince George’s County elections board over its determination that she didn’t secure enough signatures to appear on general election ballots as an unaffiliated candidate this November.

After confusion about the number required and an 11th-hour sprint to collect 215 additional signatures, Sweat, a consultant and community advocate, announced earlier this month that she believed she had compiled the necessary number.

But after reviewing the signatures and documents Sweat submitted on Aug. 3, the elections board determined Tuesday that she hadn’t met the required threshold.

Sweat sued the next day, calling for the circuit court to determine whether the elections board complied with state law in its decision and, if not, to require that the board place her on November ballots.

She also asked the court to order the board to refund her $28.95 filing fee.

“This campaign is not suspended. It’s not ended. It’s not over,” Sweat said in an interview on Thursday.

When reached for comment, county elections administrator Wendy Honesty-Bey said she wasn’t aware of the suit and declined to comment.

Sweat said she decided to file suit after learning from a Tuesday update on the State Board of Elections website — rather than a written notice from the board — that she hadn’t submitted enough eligible signatures. Sweat said she received a FedEx package Wednesday afternoon with the required notice.

“I had already filed my lawsuit, so whoop-de-do,” she said.

Local candidates not affiliated with a political party must submit a petition with signatures from at least 1% of eligible voters in the district they are seeking to represent.

Sweat said the board invalidated 1,300 of the 6,505 signatures she submitted.

Her team was analyzing the signatures again on Thursday to see whether the board is correct.

“Some of what was placed in their notice to me, I understand and I can acknowledge,” she said. “But most of the signatures that were invalidated, I have concerns with.”

She said she’s also preparing to proceed with the lawsuit. Regardless of the outcome, “this campaign is still on,” she said.

If the court rules against Sweat, she said she would consider appealing to the Supreme Court of Maryland.

She may also decide to run as a write-in candidate. She would need to file a certificate of candidacy and other documents by Oct. 15.

Sweat’s uphill climb to defeat Braveboy in November would be even more challenging as a write-in candidate.

“There are a number of examples where it has been done successfully,” she said. “So, I don’t even have to re-create a playbook.”

She mentioned how former Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams won one of his reelection bids as a write-in candidate in 2002 after a challenge to the signatures his team collected.

“The biggest thing I want the people of Prince George’s County to know is, there’s still hope,” Sweat said.