CUMBERLAND — Incumbents Jeff Metz and Fred Sloan appeared set to remain on the Allegany County Board of Education late Tuesday as 33 of 36 precincts were reported.

Less than two and one-half hours after the polls closed at 8 p.m., challenger Tim Iman had managed 20.18 percent, or 7,046 votes of 34,918 votes. Metz tallied 15,190 votes (43.50 percent) and Sloan garnered 12,568 votes (35.99 percent).

By nearly a two-to-one margin, Allegany County voters also favored Question 2, the constitutional amendment allowing slots in five locations across Maryland. Up to 1,500 machines are to be housed in a newly built slots parlor at Rocky Gap State Park.

A total of 14,795 voters advocated for the measure — 63.06 percent of 23,463 votes cast — while just 8,668 voters rejected the idea.

Question 1, which allows early voting up to two weeks in advance of an election, also was approved by county voters. Sixty-one percent favored the initiative while 38.9 percent voted against the measure.

Allegany County voters approved of the Republican ticket for president. Arizona Sen. John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin earned 62.24 percent, or a total of 15,108 votes through 33 precincts. Democratic Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, meanwhile, garnered only 8,647 votes, or just 35.62 percent of the county vote.

In the contest for the 6th Congresstional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, incumbent Republican Roscoe Bartlett led with 60.84 percent of the vote. Democratic challenger Jennifer Dougherty earned 8,496 votes, or 36.91 percent.

Allegany County’s 2,000-plus absentee ballots will be canvassed on Thursday, said Kitty Davis, administrator of the local Board of Elections. Davis said workers on Monday will count provisional ballots and, on Nov. 14, will conduct final canvass of absentee ballots. Davis that same day expects to certify the election results.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.