What races are on the ballot?

County executive, state’s attorney, sheriff and nine of the 11 county council seats will be on the ballot. Districts 1 and 5 incumbents Thomas E. Dernoga and Jolene Ivey are uncontested. If you’ve been referring to a sample ballot for the races in your district, double-check the information listed. About 10,000 sample ballots that county officials mailed to voters last month contained information for the wrong district, the Board of Elections announced on June 21. Officials pledged to resend correct mailers. Still, the county Board of Elections recommends that voters double-check their district for changes on its website .

When does voting begin?

Early voting for the primary elections begins Thursday, July 7, and runs through Thursday, July 14. Election Day is Tuesday, July 19. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Votes can be cast by mail, at ballot drop boxes and in person at a voting center during both the early-voting period and Election Day. A list of ballot drop box locations can be found here . The county Board of Elections recommends voters check the online list of early-voting centers and Election Day voting centers regularly in case centers change before Election Day.

Who is running for county executive?

If reelected, Alsobrooks , 51, said she would prioritize building schools, expanding health-care services in schools, and developing more retail and entertainment amenities. She said in an interview that voters could expect her to build on a track record that included the opening of a new hospital in Largo, allocating $2.6 billion of county funding to schools and hiring a reform-minded police chief. Also running for county executive are lawyer Tonya Sweat , retired athlete and entrepreneur Leigh Bodden , former military policeman and IT professional Billy Bridges , and businessman and Air Force veteran Sherman Hardy . Sweat has experience working in consumer compliance in the federal government and wants to conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO of the public school system. Bodden wants to introduce more programming for public school children like graphic design and coding lessons. Bridges wants to allow citizens to invest in county projects like low-income housing and turn the police department into a public safety department where officers patrol only the neighborhood they live in. Hardy advocated for a police overhaul as secretary for the county chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and wants to create an autonomous office within the county government to investigate fraud.

Who is running for the two at-large seats on the county council?

Two incumbents and five newcomers are on the ballot for the two at-large seats on the county council. Incumbent Calvin S. Hawkins II , 63, of Upper Marlboro, cited his record of helping Prince George’s though the pandemic as county council chair and said if reelected he’d work to expand the county’s commercial tax base, increase revenue and relieve property tax burdens. He took responsibility in an interview for the county council’s controversial redistricting map and acknowledged a need to hold more public discussion before taking any similar future action. Incumbent Mel Franklin , 46, lives in Camp Springs and has served three consecutive terms on the county council since 2010, two in the District 9 seat and one as an at-large member. Franklin, an attorney, emphasized from his platform an equity and inclusion agenda for small businesses, which includes establishing a program to issue loans and grants to county-based businesses and requiring the government to contract with more minority-owned businesses. Stanford Fraser , 31, lives in Landover and works as a public defender. Drawing on his work experience, Fraser wants to continue overhauling police and cited as a model Denver’s STAR program , where behavioral health specialists and medical workers, instead of police, respond to people in mental health crises. Rudy Anthony , 33, a former IT technician for the U.S. Marine Corps, lives in Bowie and works as a cybersecurity engineer. Bowie volunteered for Ben Jealous’s unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2018 and says his background in cyber policy and engineering has given him experience with the legislative process. He wants to improve the county’s schools, increase teacher pay, improve school meals and hire more mental health workers for students. Jonathan White , 48, an Air Force veteran, lives in Upper Marlboro and works as a security officer with the federal government. White’s top issues are high property taxes, inflation and crime, and he said his main goal is to support police officers and give them additional resources, such as license plate cameras to deter carjackings. Leo Eyombo , 49, lives in Brentwood and is a businessman and assistant professor in health, human performance and leisure studies at Howard University. Eyombo wants to extend the county’s rent grace period from five to 10 days and introduce a bill to prevent council members who have termed out from running again for county council in the at-large position. Sam Elira , an attorney, runs a law firm in Bowie. He wrote to The Washington Post that he wants to increase teacher pay, invest in small-business owners and lower property taxes.

Who is running for the District 1 seat on the county council?

District 1 incumbent Dernoga , 63, is running unopposed. Dernoga lives in Laurel and has been the district’s council member for 13 years. Dernoga wrote to The Post that next term, he will prioritize directing education funding toward classroom learning and renovating old school buildings, limiting “sprawl growth” and developing Metro stations.

Who is running for the District 2 seat on the county council?

Three candidates are vying to fill the District 2 seat held by Deni Taveras , who is running for state delegate. Attorneys Wanika Fisher and Victor Ramirez boast lengthy backgrounds in law and state politics, while political newcomer Raymond Nevo touts experience in housing and climate policy. Fisher, 34, lives in Lewisdale. A former Prince George’s County prosecutor and a private defense attorney, Fisher was elected in 2018 to the Maryland House of Delegates, where she successfully championed a bill guaranteeing low-income tenants a right to counsel in eviction cases. She emphasized her youth and said she would prioritize creating affordable housing and addressing transit issues such as congestion and neighborhood walkability if elected. Ramirez, 47, lives in Mount Rainier. Ramirez was a member of the Maryland General Assembly and advocated for rent stabilization policies in office. Ramirez, who emigrated from El Salvador, believes the county council should have a Latino council member, especially in Latino-heavy District 2. He pledged to develop summer and after-school programs for county youth and improve support for the elderly. Nevo, 38, lives in Hyattsville. Nevo highlighted his lived experience with hardship: He experienced homelessness and long-term unemployment before graduating from the University of Maryland in 2020. As a policy director at the National Housing Trust, Nevo said he has experience advocating for affordable housing construction and writing climate-related bills. He would prioritize securing more affordable housing and rental assistance.

Who is running for the District 3 seat on the county council?

In District 3, Eric Olson , 52, looks to return to the county council seat he held for two terms from 2006 to 2014. He faces challengers Eve Shuman and Sia Finoh , both newcomers to the county council who have worked in politics. Olson’s campaign funded a lawsuit opposing the county council’s controversial redistricting map, which would have moved him out of District 3. Olson lives in College Park. His top priority as a council member would be seeking transit-oriented redevelopment around the new Purple Line to increase tax revenue for schools and other services. Shuman, 36, lives in Riverdale. She practiced family law for six years and worked in the office of Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) as regional director for Prince George’s County. Shuman says voters will benefit from her federal experience and her perspective as a young, working mother. If elected, she wants to grow the county’s tax revenue by promoting commercial development and reduce crime by supporting youth development. Finoh previously worked for Maryland state Sen. Nathaniel Exum and ran unsuccessfully for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2018, according to her website and ballot records . If elected, Finoh would seek to lower tax burdens for businesses, support education in skilled trades and support renewable energy, according to her website. She did not respond to requests for comment.

Who is running for the District 4 seat on the county council?

Among the candidates for District 4’s council seat vacated by outgoing council member Todd M. Turner are three Bowie residents, two of whom are members of the Bowie City Council. Ingrid Harrison , 55, lives in Bowie and works as a government affairs manager for Children’s National Hospital. Harrison is an at-large council member for the city of Bowie, where she says she advocated for workforce housing. She also was a community outreach coordinator for the Prince George’s Country District 4 office. Harrison said she would prioritize community engagement and seek to bolster economic development and environmental sustainability. Michael Estève , 31, lives in Bowie and has a background in finance and nonprofit work. Estève is the District 1 council member for the Bowie City Council, where he says he successfully opposed development projects that threatened green spaces and improved the walkability of Bowie’s roads. His top priority is encouraging higher-density development, including affordable and workforce housing, with better biking, transit and trail access. Patrice Murray , 64, lives in Bowie. Murray was a Prince George’s County office director for then-Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, town administrator for Capitol Heights and, recently, chief of staff for District 7 council member Rodney C. Streeter. Murray’s priorities are consulting with communities more before making development plans, improving the district’s schools and passing a climate action plan. Trance Washington , 48, an Army veteran, worked as a Maryland District Court commissioner and is a court-appointed special advocate for vulnerable children, according to his website , which lists priorities like funding transportation projects such as the Purple Line, restoring highway-user funds and advocating for the maintenance of schools. He did not respond to requests for comment.

Who is running for the District 5 seat on the county council?

District 5 incumbent Ivey is running unopposed. Ivey, 60, lives in Cheverly and is a small-business owner and former journalist. According to her website, Ivey would seek to expand home visiting programs for new parents and encourage new development following the model of the Woodmore Towne Centre in Glenarden. She did not respond to requests for comment.

Who is running for the District 6 seat on the county council?

A crowded field is vying to represent District 6, which includes part of the five-mile Blue Line Corridor between Capitol Heights and Largo set to receive $400 million for development. Belinda Queen , 60, lives in Capitol Heights. A retired community activist, Queen was a member of the School Board from 2018 to early 2022, when she resigned to run for county council. Queen’s top issues are addressing low wages, housing affordability and public safety; she wants to provide job training and community centers for youth to accompany redevelopment planned for the Blue Line Corridor. Wala Blegay , 37, is an attorney and legal advocate. She is a counsel for the DC Nurses Association and served on the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission. Blegay said she would focus on bringing more economic development to District 6, especially in areas like downtown Largo, and increase teacher salaries. Denise Smith , 48, lives in Upper Marlboro and is the communications director for Maryland’s state’s attorney. Smith previously worked for the county council and county executive’s office. She says she’ll bring a focus on constituent services and wants to grow the county’s small businesses and improve the education system, especially for children with autism. Barbara Streeter , 56, lives in Upper Marlboro. She works as the director of community partnerships for Prince George’s County Public Schools and was manager of external affairs for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Her top priorities are funding nonprofit organizations for youth and securing additional money and services for county seniors. Nakia Wright , 47, lives in Woodmore. Wright was chair of Prince George’s Faith Based Advisory Board and founded the community organization A Woman’s Voice Matters. Wright’s priorities are diversifying the county’s tax base, combating crime by providing more mental health services, and securing training resources for residents who aren’t going to college.

Who is running for the District 7 seat on the county council?

District 7’s incumbent, Streeter , faces a rematch against activist Krystal Oriadha , whom he defeated in 2018’s election by just 31 votes. They are joined on the ballot by minister and activist Anita Naves. ( Gary Falls , the sole Republican candidate running for a county council seat, is also running for the District 7 seat and will oppose the winner of July’s primary in November’s general election.) Streeter was the vice chair of the county council during his first year and steered the body’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee. He had an extended absence from county council meetings last year for health reasons, which elicited questions from constituents. According to his website, Streeter would improve transportation infrastructure, create senior housing, and create additional job and training opportunities if elected. Naves, 58, lives in Suitland and is an activist, minister and former security aide with the U.S. Capitol Police. Naves criticized the county council’s redistricting process, District 7’s high poverty rate and low voter turnout. She wants to prioritize investing in public safety, improving the educational system and mental health services. Oriadha, 34, lives in Seat Pleasant. A longtime activist, she worked in communications for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, served on County Executive Alsobrooks’s committee for overhauling police and is the executive director of a nonprofit, PG Change Makers. If elected, she wants to expand partnerships with nonprofits providing social services and improve communities’ access to grocery stores and health-care facilities.

Who is running for the District 8 seat on the county council?

Incumbent Edward Burroughs III is running again after recently winning the District 8 seat in a special primary election in January 2022. Burroughs, previously a member of the school board for 10 years, wants to modernize school infrastructure and promote job creation by requiring county contractors to prioritize local hiring, according to his website . Burroughs did not respond to requests for comment. Tony Knotts , a Vietnam War veteran and former member of the state House of Delegates, held the District 8 seat from 2002 to 2010 and ran again for the seat in 2022’s special primary election, finishing second to Burroughs. Knotts did not respond to requests for comment. Vernon Wade , 58, lives in Fort Washington and works as the director of an urban sustainability nonprofit. Previously, Wade was chair of the Green Technology and Sustainability Committee for Prince George’s County’s Chamber of Commerce and helped establish a baseline for the county’s CO2 emissions. Wade’s top issues are health care, education and infrastructure. Jerry Mathis , 69, lives in Fort Washington and owns a real estate agency. Mathis has run unsuccessfully for various Maryland and Prince George’s County positions previously — including as a Republican for county executive against Alsobrooks in 2018 before withdrawing — and wants to encourage commercial development, increase teacher pay, and boost police recruitment and funding. Dania Lofton , 35, lives in Oxon Hill and works as a government affairs specialist. Lofton raised concerns about inequities in life expectancy and resources available to District 8 residents compared to those living in districts further away from D.C. She wants to bring in more community services and programs for youth and improve all residents’ and county employees’ access to physical and mental health care.

Who is running for the District 9 seat on the county council?

Incumbent Sydney J. Harrison , the vice chair of the county council, is seeking a second term. Harrison served as chair of the Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee during his first term. He did not respond to requests for comment. Lisa Burnam , 39, lives in Accokeek and leads digital strategy to promote progressive economic policy for the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Burnam, a member of Progressive Maryland and Democratic Socialists of America, said it’s too difficult for residents to connect with their representatives and wants to give constituents more say in the county’s budgeting priorities. She also wants the county to experiment with municipally owned housing and services, like broadband and child care, that can be rented, sold or offered at below-market rates. Ernest Canlas , 55, lives in Clinton. Canlas is a Navy veteran and worked as a technician for Kaiser Permanente and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Canlas wants to increase engagement with residents and attend every “HOA [and] civic function” in District 9; his top concerns are public safety and education. Dorian Sibedwo did not respond to requests for comment.

Who is running for sheriff?

For the first time in nearly 12 years, Prince George’s County will have a new sheriff as incumbent Melvin C. High retires and five Democrats compete for the office, which primarily oversees law enforcement at the courts. John D.B. Carr, a lieutenant colonel, is one of the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office assisting sheriffs and commands the Bureau of Field Operations, according to his campaign website. Elliott W. Gibson is chief of Edmonston Maryland Police and was the District Heights police chief but was suspended after an investigation of alleged hiring practices, according to News4 reporting . Dave Grogan is a retired U.S. marshal and former supervisory deputy and presently works in corporate security, according to his campaign website. Sylvester E. Jones Sr. was assistant director of the judicial security division of the U.S. Marshals Service, according to his campaign website. Both Grogan and Jones ran in Prince George’s County’s 2018 sheriff’s race, according to the 2018 candidates ballot . Loralyn Mayo is president of a private security company, American National Protective Services, and was a U.S. marshal and deputy sheriff III in Alexandria, according to her campaign website.

Who is running for state’s attorney?

Incumbent Braveboy is running unopposed for a second term as the county’s top prosecutor. She was first elected in 2018 after promising a “progressive prosecutor” agenda focused on reform and alternative pathways for justice. In her first year on the job, Braveboy announced her office would not request cash bail as a condition of release during bond hearings — arguing that someone should be held in jail pretrial only if they are a danger to the community, not because they could not afford to get out. She also spent much of her first term helping coordinate a response to the coronavirus pandemic, reducing the jail population in the early months of the outbreak. Her initiatives this election cycle, according to her campaign website, include helping returning citizens find jobs, improving voter access for incarcerated people, domestic violence education and gun-crime prevention. Braveboy, a former Maryland state delegate, chaired the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland as a lawmaker and has a law degree from Howard University. — Jasmine Hilton and Katie Mettler contributed to this report.

A guide to the Prince George’s County primary elections

By Daniel Wu

Updated July 8, 2022 at 1:48 p.m. EDT|Published July 7, 2022 at 6:52 a.m. EDT

A Prince George’s County resident votes in 2016. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

correction

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that District 9 candidate Lisa Burnam researches housing affordability issues for the Center for Economic and Policy Research. She leads digital strategy to promote progressive economic policy.

Prince George’s County voters will weigh in on county executive candidates and nine county council contests, among other ones, as Marylanders head to the polls for the July 19 primary elections.

The results will be decisive in most cases, as nearly all candidates for local election are Democrats. They’re running in freshly drawn districts reshaped twice since last fall: first under a plan the county council adopted despite residents’ protests that edged several competitors from incumbents’ districts, and again after the Maryland Court of Appeals struck down the council’s controversial map.

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Nine of the eleven county council seats are contested. County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks faces competition from several political newcomers in her quest for a second term. State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy is running unopposed. More information on the four school board seats on the ballot is available here.

Economic development, public safety and education, among other issues, animated candidates in interviews and surveys about their candidacy. Most spoke to longtime concerns about inequalities in development and a need for more services and amenities throughout the county. As impacts from the pandemic linger despite an economic rebound, candidates also pledged solutions to tackle crime, assist seniors and create affordable housing.