There is an open U.S. Senate seat for Maryland, as Sen. Ben Cardin, a three-term Democrat in the Senate, is not seeking reelection. Cardin’s decision in May 2023 not to seek a fourth term changed the state’s political landscape, including in a congressional district in Western Maryland, where three-term U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-6th, ran for (and lost) the seat in the May 14 primary.
Now, several seats in the state’s 10-member U.S. congressional delegation are held by state voters, and in some parts of Maryland, voters will also have a say in key local offices this year. Learn more about the selections on your ballot below.
Maryland U.S. Senate Seat
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat, and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, are vying for the seat currently held by Cardin. Alsobrooks, 53, has led the state’s second-most populous county as executive for the past six years. Before that, she served as the county’s attorney from 2011 to 2018. Hogan, 68, was Maryland’s governor from 2015 to 2023, making her the state’s first Republican to serve two terms since 1959.
Read more about the race for US Senate in Maryland Preview of Maryland’s US Senate runoff election between Alsobrooks and Hogan
Maryland’s 6th Congressional District
Maryland’s 6th Congressional District includes Western Maryland. In addition to Northern Montgomery County, the district includes Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties. Maryland U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-6th, who held the seat for about six years, ran for (and lost a bid) for U.S. Senate, creating an open seat.
April McClain Delaney, 60, a former Biden administration official and the wife of Trone’s predecessor, U.S. Rep. John Delaney, D-6th, is the Democratic nominee. Former state Rep. Neil Parrott, 54, who represented Washington County in the General Assembly until 2023, is the Republican nominee.
More information about the 6th District race: Preview of Maryland’s 6th Congressional District Race Between Delaney and Parrott
Legally mandated amendment on abortion
In 2023, the Maryland General Assembly passed a law to put an amendment to the state constitution before the state’s voters on a controversial topic: abortion.
The state’s voters approved a related measure by a majority vote in 1992 to make the procedure legal. This year’s question proposes an amendment to the state constitution that would add a section to the document on the topic of terminating a pregnancy. If the measure passes, future amendments would require a future General Assembly to bring the issue before voters again. If the measure fails, the procedure would still be allowed under current state law.
More about the proposed amendment: Maryland residents vote on abortion amendment: What you need to know
Mayor, City of Hagerstown
The office of mayor in the city of Hagerstown is a nonpartisan position. The mayor serves as the city’s chief executive and chairs city council meetings. The mayor does not vote on city actions or ordinances, but is responsible for implementing city policies. The mayor serves a four-year term with an annual compensation of $28,000. This year, the office of mayor is an open seat, as current mayor Tekesha Martinez opted to run for Congress and finished fourth in this year’s Democratic primary. Steve Schutte withdrew from the race after the primary, leaving Bill McIntire as the only contender in this year’s mayoral race in the general election.
Hagerstown City Council
The Hagerstown City Council consists of five members elected to four-year terms. These are nonpartisan positions, all of which are elected at-large during presidential election years. The council is responsible for adopting policies, ordinances, and resolutions for the city, including annual operating and capital budgets. The annual compensation for council members is $8,000. This year, four incumbents and six challengers are running in the general election. Councilmember Shelley McIntire has chosen not to seek re-election. There are 10 candidates running for the five council seats.
Hagerstown City Council Elections: Hagerstown City Council Election Preview
Washington County Board of Education
Four of the seven seats on the Washington County Board of Education are up for election this year. All four incumbents are running, and they, as well as four challengers, will advance to the Nov. 5 general election. The school board race is a nonpartisan election. Board members serve four-year terms, with about half of the board seats coming up for election every two years.
Race for school board: Washington County Board of Education Election Preview
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Hagerstown, Maryland Election Guide for Congressional and Local Elections
