Caroline County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Caroline County, Maryland

14 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 4 Caroline County races, led by the Maryland Senate District 36 contest.

4 races on the November ballot · 14 candidates
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By address

These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.

Caroline County is split across 4 Maryland Senate and House of Delegates districts.

Find your districts by address
Maryland Senate: 2 districtsDistricts 36, 37
Maryland Senate District 36Nivek Johnson (D) · Steve Hershey (R)

Nivek Johnson Democratic

Top priorities
  • expanding reliable transportation in rural communities
  • increasing affordable housing and utility assistance programs
  • supporting economic development and entrepreneurship

Per the campaign site.

About Nivek Johnson

Nivek M. Johnson is an educator from Chestertown, Maryland running for Maryland Senate District 36, per the campaign site. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Salisbury University and a Master of Education from Bowie State University, and works as an Information Technology and Computer Science educator with Montgomery County Public Schools, per the campaign site. He previously served as the youngest elected member, and later Vice Chair, of the Kent County Board of Education, per the campaign site. He serves on the Maryland State Public Information Act Compliance Board and has been appointed to the Judicial Nominating Commission for Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties, per the campaign site.

Steve Hershey Republican

Top priorities
  • Pushes for balanced budgets and reduced wasteful spending
  • Supports pro-growth policies that reduce regulations for small businesses and family farms
  • Focuses on lowering costs for families on taxes, utilities and groceries

Per the campaign site.

About Steve Hershey

Hershey is an engineer and business professional who has served more than 15 years in the Maryland Senate representing Caroline, Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's counties, per the campaign site. He is the Senate Minority Leader and previously served as Senate Republican Whip and ranking member of the Finance Committee, per the campaign site.

Nivek Johnson (Democratic), Steve Hershey (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Maryland Senate District 36. Not on the November ballot: Stephen S., Jr. Hershey, Stephen S., Jr. Hershey, sitting members per the roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 23 primary; unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified 2026 Gubernatorial General candidate list (updated September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

Full race page
Maryland Senate District 37Katie G. Clendaniel (D) · Johnny Mautz (R)

Katie G. Clendaniel Democratic

Katie G. Clendaniel is the Democratic candidate for Maryland Senate District 37 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Johnny Mautz Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Opposes state spending increases that he says have driven up energy bills and fees
  • Focuses on supporting watermen, farmers and local families on the Eastern Shore

Per the campaign site.

About Johnny Mautz
Johnny Mautz

Johnny Mautz is a Maryland state senator representing the 37th District, serving the Eastern Shore communities of Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico counties, per the campaign site. He has eight years of experience in the House of Delegates and three years in the Senate, per the campaign site.

Katie G. Clendaniel (Democratic), Johnny Mautz (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Maryland Senate District 37; Johnny Mautz is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 23 primary; unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified 2026 Gubernatorial General candidate list (updated September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

Full race page
Maryland House of Delegates: 2 districtsDistricts 36, 37B
Maryland House of Delegates District 36Nevin Crouse (D) · Michelle Ravert (D) · Crystal Woodward (D) · Steve Arentz (R) · Jeff Ghrist (R) · Jay A. Jacobs (R)

Nevin Crouse Democratic

Nevin Crouse is the Democratic candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Michelle Ravert Democratic

Top priorities
  • Give District 36 a stronger voice in Annapolis

Per the campaign site.

About Michelle Ravert
Michelle Ravert

Michelle Ravert is a parole and probation agent who previously worked as a legal secretary in the Office of the Public Defender and spent 25 years in financial services, including as vice president of an investment management firm, per the campaign site. She holds a bachelor's degree in legal studies and pre-law from the University of Maryland Global Campus, per the campaign site.

Crystal Woodward Democratic

Top priorities
  • Address the cost of groceries, fuel, electricity, housing and childcare
  • Expand accessible educational pathways and improve school infrastructure
  • Promote renewable energy and reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay

Per the campaign site.

About Crystal Woodward

Crystal Woodward is Vice President of Legal Advocacy at the American Diabetes Association, where she has worked for 30 years, per her campaign site. She is a Kent Island resident and Eastern Shore native, per her campaign site.

Steve Arentz Republican Incumbent

Steve Arentz

Steve Arentz is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Steve Arentz is a sitting member for the district, per the General Assembly's roster. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Jeff Ghrist Republican

Jeff Ghrist is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Jay A. Jacobs Republican

Jay A. Jacobs is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Nevin Crouse (Democratic), Michelle Ravert (Democratic), Crystal Woodward (Democratic), Steve Arentz (Republican), Jeff Ghrist (Republican), Jay A. Jacobs (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Maryland House of Delegates District 36 (2 seats; vote for up to 2); Steve Arentz is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Not on the November ballot: Jefferson L. Ghrist, the sitting member per the roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 23 primary; unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified 2026 Gubernatorial General candidate list (updated September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

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Maryland House of Delegates District 37BEdmund J. Barrett (D) · Michele W. Johnson (D) · Chris Adams (R) · Tom Hutchinson (R)

Edmund J. Barrett Democratic

Top priorities
  • Work with local businesses, farmers and industries to grow the Eastern Shore's economy
  • Focus on affordability and the cost of living for Shore families
  • Prioritize water and air quality and expanding affordable housing

Per the campaign site.

About Edmund J. Barrett

Barrett is a retired Army colonel who has worked as a school teacher, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College and a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, and he lives in Salisbury with his wife and four children, per the campaign site.

Michele W. Johnson Democratic

Top priorities
  • Support quality public schools, libraries, parks and higher education access
  • Support small businesses, watermen, farmers and heritage tourism
  • Address climate change, clean air and water, and flood protection

Per the campaign site.

About Michele W. Johnson

Michele W. Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and more than 10 years in federal and state government, per her campaign site. She served eight years on the board of Congressman Elijah Cummings' Youth Program, per her campaign site.

Chris Adams Republican Incumbent

Chris Adams

Chris Adams is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 37B on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Chris Adams is a sitting member for the district, per the General Assembly's roster. No campaign website was listed on the State Board of Elections' candidate filing as of September 8, 2026.

Tom Hutchinson Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Expand access to affordable healthcare and mental health services
  • Lower energy and utility costs
  • Support farmers and watermen

Per the campaign site.

About Tom Hutchinson
Tom Hutchinson

Hutchinson founded a home services company on the Eastern Shore in 2020 after 30 years leading sales and marketing teams for national healthcare analytics organizations, per the campaign site. He holds an MBA from Loyola University Maryland and has served on the Cambridge Main Street board, per the campaign site.

Edmund J. Barrett (Democratic), Michele W. Johnson (Democratic), Chris Adams (Republican), Tom Hutchinson (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Maryland House of Delegates District 37B (2 seats; vote for up to 2); Chris Adams, Tom Hutchinson are sitting members, per the General Assembly's roster. Also filed but not printing: Marco Antonio Garcia (declined), per the State Board of Elections. Party nominees were chosen at the June 23 primary; unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified 2026 Gubernatorial General candidate list (updated September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

Full race page

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Voting info and more

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How to vote in Caroline County

Verify your ballot with the official election office.

Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.

Maryland nominees were set by the June 23 primary (plurality); unaffiliated and new-party candidates qualified by petition, and the field is the State Board of Elections' certified 2026 Gubernatorial General candidate list, which also names the filed candidates who withdrew, declined or failed to submit enough petition signatures.

Caroline County 2026 election questions

Who is on the ballot in Caroline County, Maryland on November 3, 2026?

Caroline County sample ballot 2026: see where the maryland house of delegates and maryland senate candidates stand on agriculture, housing and roads. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.

When is the 2026 general election in Maryland?

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

How do I see my exact Caroline County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →

Sample ballot by ZIP code in Caroline County8 ZIP codes
Maryland statewide racesEvery Maryland race on this county's ballot.All Maryland ballot measures2 statewide ballot measuresMaryland judges2 tracked judges on the retention ballot