The Ballot Brief
Charles County, Maryland

Maryland House of Delegates District 28

5 candidates are tracked for Maryland House of Delegates District 28 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Abena Affum-McAllister, Debra Davis, Edith J. Patterson, James Emerson Ashburn and Winfield W. Clark, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Charles County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Abena Affum-McAllister (Democratic), Debra Davis (Democratic), Edith J. Patterson (Democratic), James Emerson Ashburn (Republican), Winfield W. Clark, Jr. (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Maryland House of Delegates District 28 (3 seats; vote for up to 3); Debra Davis, Edith J. Patterson are sitting members, per the General Assembly's roster. Not on the November ballot: C. T. Wilson, the sitting member per the roster. Also filed but not printing: Anbrea McCoy (withdrawn), Anbrea McCoy (failed to submit required number of signatures), per the State Board of Elections.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.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Voters choose 3; the top 3 finishers win seats. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. Sitting officeholders on the ballot: Debra Davis, Edith J. Patterson.

Maryland › Charles County › Maryland House of Delegates District 28

Abena Affum-McAllister

Democratic

Top priorities

  • Advance justice reform and youth mentorship programs
  • Support families and early intervention initiatives

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Affum-McAllister is Director of Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives for the Charles County State's Attorney's Office, leading countywide reform strategies focused on early intervention and youth engagement, per the campaign site. She previously served as Director of Stakeholder Engagement for Pyxis Partners on the NIH All of Us Research Program, and holds a bachelor's degree from Nyack College and a J.D. from the David A. Clarke School of Law, per the campaign site. She is the mother of three and founded Women of Action Maryland, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Debra Davis

Debra Davis

DemocraticIncumbent

Top priorities

  • Advance criminal justice reform
  • Support cannabis legalization equity measures

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Davis is a civil litigator with her own law practice and more than 30 years of legal experience, holding a criminology degree from the University of Maryland and a law degree from the University of Baltimore, per the campaign site. She previously served on the Charles County Board of Commissioners for eight years, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Edith J. Patterson

Edith J. Patterson

DemocraticIncumbent

Biography

Edith J. Patterson is the sitting delegate for District 28. She worked as Director of Educational Talent Search at the College of Southern Maryland from 1991 to 2012 and previously as a counselor at Charles County Community College from 1974 to 1991, per the Maryland General Assembly. She chairs the Gaming Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 21, 2026.

James Emerson Ashburn

Republican

Top priorities

  • Ensure fairness in school sports and scholarship opportunities
  • Support law enforcement
  • Repeal the inflation adjusted gas tax

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Ashburn spent 32 years working at a nuclear power plant in Calvert County holding an NRC reactor operator license and served eight years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear machinist mate, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Winfield W. Clark, Jr.

Republican

Top priorities

  • Keep talent and income in the county and support local businesses
  • Expand transit access and improve roads
  • Make government more efficient

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Clark is a healthcare executive and business transformation consultant who also serves as a pastor and leads a faith based food security nonprofit, per the campaign site. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Hampton University and an MBA from the University of Iowa, per the campaign site.

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

Who is running for Maryland House of Delegates District 28 in 2026?

5 candidates are tracked for Maryland House of Delegates District 28 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Abena Affum-McAllister, Debra Davis, Edith J. Patterson, James Emerson Ashburn and Winfield W. Clark, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Charles County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Maryland House of Delegates District 28 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 Charles 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 Charles County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Charles County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Maryland Senate District 28Maryland House of Delegates District 27ASee all 4 Charles County races
Candidate profiles
Abena Affum-McAllister, full profileDebra Davis, full profileEdith J. Patterson, full profileJames Emerson Ashburn, full profileWinfield W. Clark, Jr., full profileOfficial Maryland election office