The Ballot Brief
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5

3 candidates are tracked for Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Elizabeth Adams, Sidney A. Butcher and Ginina A. Jackson-Stevenson. Candidate information follows official Anne Arundel County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Elizabeth Adams, Sidney A. Butcher and Ginina A. Jackson-Stevenson are on the November 3, 2026 ballot in Anne Arundel County for Judge of the Circuit Court, Circuit 5, a nonpartisan contest; voters choose up to two, per the State Board of Elections' official 2026 general election ballot for the county. Circuit court judges are elected county by county, so only Anne Arundel County voters vote on these seats.

About the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County

Maryland circuit courts are the state trial courts for the most serious criminal and civil cases. The Anne Arundel court also runs family, juvenile, guardianship and drug treatment court programs, per the court's website. Its roster lists 13 judges.

Maryland circuit judges are appointed by the governor and then stand in contested nonpartisan elections, and they serve 15-year terms, per Maryland Matters. Anne Arundel County voters vote on the Anne Arundel candidates. The county's official November 3, 2026 ballot lists the contest as Judge of the Circuit Court, Circuit 5, vote for up to 2, and Howard County has its own Circuit 5 line on its ballot, per the State Board of Elections.

Sidney A. Butcher and Ginina A. Jackson-Stevenson are sitting Anne Arundel Circuit Court judges per the court's roster, and both are on the ballot.

Official source: Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County: judges, Maryland State Board of Elections: Anne Arundel County 2026 general ballot

Maryland › Anne Arundel County › Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5

Elizabeth Adams

Nonpartisan

Top priorities
  • Impartial application of the law and listening to all parties
  • Keeping communities safe alongside fairness and accountability

Per the campaign site.

Biography

An attorney with more than 25 years of trial and appellate experience in Maryland state and federal courts, including as an Assistant State's Attorney for Anne Arundel County, per adams4judge.com and Eye On Annapolis. Clerked for Circuit Court Judge Eugene M. Lerner and has handled criminal prosecution and defense, civil litigation and federal matters over 26 years, per Eye On Annapolis.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Sidney A. Butcher

Nonpartisan

Top priorities
  • Judicial experience and bipartisan trust from appointments by both parties' governors
  • Experience, integrity and impartiality on the bench

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Appointed to the Circuit Court by Governor Wes Moore in December 2025, after serving on the District Court following an appointment by Governor Larry Hogan, per circuitcourt.org and campaign site. Spent over a decade as a prosecutor and assistant attorney general and led the Monumental City Bar Association, per judgesidneybutcher.com.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Ginina A. Jackson-Stevenson

Nonpartisan

Top priorities
  • Maintaining experience, integrity, and impartiality on the circuit court bench
  • Bringing established judicial and courtroom experience to the role

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Jackson-Stevenson is a sitting judge appointed to the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court in December 2023 by Governor Wes Moore, per the campaign site. Jackson-Stevenson previously served more than three years as the first African American woman to hold the position of Circuit Court magistrate in family law, spent a decade in private law practice covering criminal, family, and juvenile matters, and worked seven years as a public defender, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Elizabeth Adams, Sidney A. Butcher and Ginina A. Jackson-Stevenson. Candidate information follows official Anne Arundel County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge of the Circuit Court, Judicial Circuit 5 election in Maryland?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Maryland are on the Maryland election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Anne Arundel County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Anne Arundel County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Maryland election office, or see the full Anne Arundel County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Anne Arundel County ballot

29 tracked races in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Maryland Senate District 21Maryland Senate District 30Maryland Senate District 31See all 29 Anne Arundel County races
Candidate profiles
Elizabeth Adams, full profileSidney A. Butcher, full profileGinina A. Jackson-Stevenson, full profileOfficial Maryland election office