Montgomery County Voter Guide: Primary Election Candidates, Polling Places

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Primary day is Tuesday, and residents will be voting for candidates running in local, state and congressional races.

Maryland's race for governor and lieutenant governor pits incumbents Wes Moore and Aruna Miller against fellow Democrats Eric Felber and LaTrece Hawkins Lytes.

Nine republicans, including two who switched parties to run in the GOP primary — Dan Cox and Ed Hale — are running against the Moore-Miller front.

Voters will also be making selections for all 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly and the eight U.S. House of Representatives seats.

• Related: MD Voters To Choose Governor, U.S. Congress Candidates: What To Know

On the congressional side is a closely watched battle for the 6th District between incumbent April McClain Delaney and challenger David Trone, who held the seat before Delaney.

Key county races to watch in the 2026 election cycle include the county executive and the at-large bids, where over 20 candidates are vying for a seat at the table.

Aside from every district being up for grabs, voters will also have the opportunity to make selections for the Board of Education's at-large post and 1st, 3rd and 5th district seats.

The outcome of the races will heavily impact critical decision-making on the county's budgetary, housing, transportation and school policies.

County Executive Candidates

A total of seven candidates — five democrats and two republicans — are running to clinch the county executive posting.

The job involves handling the daily administration of county departments and submitting proposals for the county budget. The current officeholder is Marc Elrich (Democrat), who is running to serve as an at-large member of the County Council.

The leading contenders vying for the four-year term include Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Democrat), Evan Glass (Democrat) and Will Jawando (Democrat), all of whom hold seats on the County Council.

The four other candidates rounding out the competition include Mithun Banerjee (Democrat), Peter James (Democrat), Shelly Skolnick (Republican) and Esther Wells (Republican).

County Council At-Large Candidates

Another key race to keep an eye on this election cycle is the County Council at-large position, which is responsible for voting on the operating budget, introducing and passing legislation and providing oversight on multiple departments.

A total of 18 candidates are running for the four-year candidacy, although only four contenders will ultimately be selected by voters.

Those candidates include:

• Fatmata Barrie, Democrat*
• Josie Caballero, Democrat
• Radwan Chowdhury, Democrat*
• Marc Elrich, Democrat
• Dana Eugene Gassaway, Democrat
• Scott Evan Goldberg, Democrat
• Hamza Khan, Democrat
• Matt Losak, Democrat*
• Jim McNulty, Democrat
• Jeremiah Pope, Democrat*
• Laurie-Anne Sayles, Incumbent, Democrat
• Prabu Selvam, Democrat
• Karla Silvestre, Democrat*
• Steve Solomon, Democrat*
• Lelia B. True, Democrat*
• Vicki Vergagni, Democrat*
• Muhammad Arif Wali, Democrat
• Sherwin Wells, Republican

County Council Candidates By District

1st District

• Drew Morrison, Democrat*
• Debbie Spielberg, Democrat
• Julie Yang, Democrat*
• Reardon "Sully" Sullivan, Republican*

2nd District

• Marilyn Balcombe, Incumbent, Democrat
• Arian Borghei, Republican (Candidate for general election only)

3rd District

• Jud Ashman, Democrat*
• Allison Eriksen, Democrat*
• Izola "Zola" Shaw, Democrat*
• Ricky Fai Mui, Republican

4th District

• Paula Bienenfeld, Democrat
• Kate Stewart, Incumbent, Democrat*
• Peter "Rocky" Whitesell, Democrat*

5th District

• Charles Kirchman, Democrat
• Kristin Mink, Incumbent, Democrat
• Josephine Salazar, Republican

6th District

• Natali Fani-González, Incumbent, Democrat
• Sonia A. Garcia, Democratic
• Louella Tham, Republican

7th District

• Van Free, Democrat
• Sharif Hidayat, Democrat
• Dawn Luedtke, Incumbent, Democrat
• Harold Maldonado, Republican

Board Of Education Race (Non-Partisan)

At-Large Candidates

• Wylea Chase*
• Brenda M. Diaz*
• Omar Lazo*
• Tiffany E. Wicks

1st District

• Grace Rivera-Oven

3rd District

• Sharon Creed
• Brett DiResta*
• Andrew Frykman
• Sally A. McCarthy
• Cassandra "Cassi" Sung*

5th District

• Elma-Lorraine Diggs

To view a full list of candidates in Montgomery County at the local level, click here.

* indicates candidates who returned Patch's questionnaire

How To Vote

Same-day registration will be available to residents who bring a valid Maryland driver's license, learner's permit, or state ID card. A change of address card, paycheck, bank statement, or utility bill can also be used for proof of residence.

To vote in either the Democratic or Republican Party primaries, residents must be registered with that party. Adjustments to party affiliation cannot be made past the June 2 deadline.

Come Election Day, residents must vote at their assigned polling place. If not, they will be required to vote by provisional ballot, according to the Board of Elections.

Residents can use an online tool provided by the state to find their designated voting district and polling station.