Gaithersburg, Maryland sample ballot 2026

Jawando is a civil rights lawyer and current Montgomery County Council member who grew up in the county, per the campaign site. Jawando worked in the Obama White House earlier in Jawando's career and is a public school parent, per the campaign site.

Wells is a Certified Public Accountant with a master's degree in taxation, per her campaign site. She is a mother of two, per her campaign site.

Elrich began his public work in community and tenant organizing in Montgomery County around 1980, focused on land-use advocacy, before entering elected office, per the campaign site. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County and raised a family in Takoma Park, and currently serves as County Executive, per the campaign site.

The only incumbent in the 2026 at-large Council race, wrapping up her first term, per Bethesda Magazine. Worked with Councilmember Andrew Friedson to speed up permitting for affordable housing developments and co-sponsored the More Housing NOW initiative, per Bethesda Magazine.

Silvestre has served eight years on the Montgomery County Board of Education, including two terms as Board President, and has worked more than 13 years at Montgomery College connecting residents to workforce pathways, per the campaign site. Silvestre previously served as a community liaison in the County Executive's Office of Community Partnerships, per the campaign site.

Wells has worked more than 25 years in financial services, real estate and mortgage lending, per the campaign site. Wells is a U.S. Army veteran and immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago who has lived in Gaithersburg since 1997, per the campaign site.

Montgomery County State's Attorney since 1999, first elected after decades as a career prosecutor with the office since 1982; holds a law degree from the University of Baltimore, per montgomerycountymd.gov. Established the office's Gang Prosecution Unit and helped establish the county's Mental Health Court, per montgomerycountymd.gov. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for John McCarthy.

A longtime Maryland state workforce development official who serves as reemployment program director for the Montgomery County American Job Centers, per Bethesda Magazine. A native of Puerto Rico, per Bethesda Magazine.

Milam is a retired Chief Assistant Sheriff for Prince George's County, Maryland, with more than 20 years of law enforcement experience across multiple Maryland jurisdictions, per the campaign site. Milam most recently oversaw nearly 400 sworn deputies and civilian staff and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, per the campaign site.

Diaz is an educator with more than two decades of teaching experience across nursery schools, cooperative schools, farm and forest programs, and public and private schools in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, per the campaign site.

Lazo is a small business owner who serves as a Trustee of Montgomery College and chairs the Montgomery County Workforce Development Board, per the campaign site. Lazo has more than 20 years of volunteer community leadership experience, per the campaign site.

An educator, community advocate and small-business owner who serves as a Montgomery County Board of Education member and former board president, per julieyang.org. Previously worked as a Pre-K teacher and MCPS college and career readiness advisor, per julieyang.org.

Sullivan is a professional engineer who has owned an architectural engineering firm for more than 30 years, per the campaign site. Sullivan is a LEED-accredited green design professional and longtime Montgomery County resident who founded the Stop the Spend ballot petition initiative, per the campaign site.

Balcombe is the incumbent County Councilmember for District 2, serving a first term after nearly 30 years of community service as an advocate for Upcounty residents, per the campaign site. Balcombe's background includes work in civic organizations, county government and nonprofit organizations, per the campaign site.

Ashman owns and operates a web design, development and hosting business, Web Mobile Image, and has served nearly 25 years in Gaithersburg elected office, including as mayor since 2014, per the campaign site. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from the University of Miami and a master's degree in accounting and financial management, and founded the Gaithersburg Book Festival, per the campaign site.

Mui chairs the Rockville City Commission and serves as a recruiter for the U.S. Naval Academy, per the campaign site. Mui is a 12 year U.S. Navy veteran who has also worked at Frito Lay, Accenture and Novaces as a federal contractor, per the campaign site.

Serves as President of the Montgomery County Council for District 4 and previously served as Mayor of Takoma Park, per montgomerycountymd.gov. Serves on the board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, focusing on homelessness and transit funding, per montgomerycountymd.gov.

Mink currently serves as the Montgomery County Council member for District 5 and sits on the Education and Culture Committee, per the campaign site. Mink has worked on school funding transparency initiatives with Montgomery County Public Schools, per the campaign site.

Josephine Salazar is a public servant with experience in technology policy, agricultural and small business advocacy, and education reform, per the campaign site. She is running for Montgomery County Council District 5, per the campaign site.

Luedtke is the Montgomery County Councilmember for District 7, elected in 2022, with a focus on public safety, education and mental and behavioral health, per the campaign site. Luedtke has authored healthcare privacy protection legislation and co-led legislation supporting immigrant victims, per the campaign site.

Maldonado is an economist, entrepreneur and soccer coach who has lived in Montgomery County for more than 30 years, per the campaign site. Maldonado is a first generation Bolivian American, per the campaign site.

McCarthy has more than 25 years of experience in policy research, advocacy and teaching in education, per the campaign site. McCarthy is a graduate of Wootton High School and the daughter of Montgomery County Public Schools teachers, per the campaign site.

Sung is a Montgomery County parent and professional who has spent her career managing complex systems and translating data into decisions, per Montgomery Community Media, 2026 primary election guide. She is involved in community advocacy through the Chamber of Mothers and is connected to the county's diverse families, including LGBTQ+ families, per Montgomery Community Media, 2026 primary election guide.

Diggs is a Silver Spring parent of two Montgomery County Public Schools students and a global health policy advisor who previously worked for USAID, per Bethesda Magazine. She is running for the open District 5 seat and has been endorsed by the Montgomery County Education Association, per Montgomery County Education Association.

Wes Moore is Maryland's incumbent governor and the Democratic nominee for a second term, with Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller as his running mate, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. A former nonprofit CEO, author, and Army veteran, he campaigns on economic opportunity, ending child poverty, public safety, and continuing his administration's work on housing and transportation.

Dan Cox is the Republican nominee for Maryland governor, winning the June 23 primary in a nine-candidate field and setting up a rematch of the 2022 race against Gov. Wes Moore. An attorney and former state delegate, he campaigns on parental rights, lower taxes, and election integrity.

Anthony G. Brown is Maryland's incumbent attorney general and the Democratic nominee for a second term. A former congressman and lieutenant governor, he campaigns on civil rights enforcement, consumer protection, and public safety.

James B. Rutledge III, of Phoenix, Maryland, has practiced law for more than 30 years and holds a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Georgia. He previously served as a Bel Air town commissioner from 2023 to 2025 and is the Republican nominee for Maryland Attorney General, running against Democratic nominee Anthony Brown.

Brooke Lierman is Maryland's incumbent comptroller and the Democratic nominee for a second term, the first woman elected to the office. A former state delegate from Baltimore, she campaigns on modernizing the state's fiscal systems and economic opportunity.

Sonya Dunn is the CEO and founder of JEMH Enterprises LLC, with more than 25 years of experience in digital enterprise integration, media production, and streaming platforms, per the campaign site. She has served as a senior advisor to American Red Cross Services for Armed Forces in Eastern Europe and as a cultural and economic liaison for the District of Columbia government, per the campaign site.