A day after his victory over incumbent County Executive Steve Schuh, executive-elect Steuart Pittman was busy setting the stage for his next act — a transition from farmer to head of the county government.

He’s not the only one embracing change in the wake of Tuesday’s general election.

Pittman, a Democrat, topped Schuh, a Republican, with 52 percent of the vote, and will be sworn in Dec. 3 alongside another symbol of change: a County Council that not only flipped its party majority, but will include six new members — five of them women. The previous council was all men.

After election results were final, Pittman announced on Wednesday his selection of former county executive Janet Owens and Councilman Chris Trumbauer to lead his transition team. In his concession speech Tuesday, Schuh pledged to “do everything we could to do help him in the transition.”

It was the cap to a county executive race that was competitive and energetic, and at times contentious. County voters were concerned about public safety hiring, education funding and development. Both Schuh and Pittman pledged to hire more police, fire personnel and teachers while also increasing salaries.

The two bickered about who could increase that funding faster under the county’s strict property tax rate cap, and also diverged on issues such as immigration. Pittman called for an end to the county’s 287(g) program — in which detention officers can screen inmates for possible immigration violations and detain them for federal authorities. Schuh supported the program, calling it an important tool to find undocumented immigrants who have been arrested.

Data from the county Board of Elections indicated that early voting may have played a role in Tuesday’s outcome.

Schuh carried the majority of voters on Election Day — about 3,000 more than Pittman — but it wasn’t enough to carry him past a lead of more than 10,000 votes that his challenger built during early voting.

On the seven-member County Council, the shakeup was felt not only in party dominance — Republicans previously held a 4-3 advantage, and now Democrats have that edge — but also in gender.

In District 1, which includes Brooklyn Park and Linthicum, Democrat Sarah Lacey defeated Republican Kimberly Burns with about 56 percent of the vote. Lacey had defeated incumbent Pete Smith of Severn in a surprise primary win.

Democrat Allison Pickard defeated Republican Tom Gardner with 54 percent of the vote in District 2, which includes Glen Burnie and part of Severn.

District 3, which includes Pasadena and Riviera Beach, remained strongly Republican, Nathan Volke defeated Democrat Debbie Ritchie with 64 percent of the vote.

In District 4, which includes Odenton and Fort Meade, Democrat Andrew Pruski defeated Republican Torrey Snow with 66 percent of the vote. Pruski’s early voting turnout was so strong that Snow could not make up the ground, and he will have the distinction on the new council as the only incumbent to win re-election.

Republican Amanda Fiedler defeated Democrat Dawn Myers with 55 percent of the vote in District 5, consisting of Severna Park and Arnold. Fiedler had defeated incumbent Michael Peroutka in the primary.

District 6, which includes Annapolis, remained a Democratic stronghold with Lisa Brannigan Rodvien’s defeat of Republican Michael Christman. Rodvien had about 59 percent of the vote.

And in District 7, Republican Jessica Haire defeated Democrat James Kitchin with about 52 percent of the vote, and will represent Crofton, Odenton and Shady Side. The seat was previously held by Jerry Walker, a Crofton Republican who ran for delegate in District 33 but lost in the primary.

The election was also historic as it represented the county’s transition to an entirely elected school board.

Candace Antwine in District 1, Melissa Ellis in District 4, Dana Schallheim in District 5 and Michelle Corkadel in District 7 each won seats in Anne Arundel County’s first school board race.

“All I can say is thank God,” Antwine said. “So now the real work begins, and we want to make sure the students of Anne Arundel County are protected and learning safely.”

Ellis beat out the incumbent, school board President Julie Hummer, by about 1,000 votes.

“I got a lovely message from Julie Hummer and I’m really excited,” Ellis said. “It’s clear that a lot of people on both sides of the aisle think that we need some change in education. ... I do feel an enormous responsibility to live up to that and I’m excited to get to work.”

Schallheim also won against an incumbent — board Vice President Terry Gilleland — by a margin of about 840 votes. She received a concession email from Gilleland.

“I’m thrilled, I am overwhelmed and happy,” Schallheim said.

Hummer and Gilleland will stay on the board for another two years to finish their terms.

County school board members have traditionally been appointed by the governor. A single student member is elected by other students and also appointed by the governor.

Two years from now, every school board seat will be up for election to four-year terms.

Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter Phil Davis contributed to this article.

ccook@capgaznews.com