2026 Maryland county executive elections
The Maryland county executive elections of 2026 will be held on November 3, 2026.
Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Wicomico County will elect county executives.
Anne Arundel County
The incumbent county executive is Democrat Steuart Pittman, who was re-elected in 2022 with 53.7 percent of the vote. He is ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- James Kitchin, special assistant to county executive Steuart Pittman
- Allison Pickard, county councilmember from the 2nd district
- Pete Smith, county councilmember from the 1st district
Declined
- Gavin Buckley, former mayor of Annapolis
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Dave Crawford, food service manager and volunteer firefighter
Potential
- Jessica Haire, former county councilmember from the 7th district and nominee for county executive in 2022
Declined
- Nic Kipke, state delegate from the 31st district and former minority leader of the Maryland House of Delegates ''''
Baltimore County
The incumbent county executive is Democrat Kathy Klausmeier, who was appointed county executive by the Baltimore County Council after Johnny Olszewski was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland's 2nd congressional district in 2024. She is not running for election to a full four-year term. Olszewski was re-elected in 2022 with 63.7 percent of the vote.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Julian Jones, county councilmember from the 4th district
- Izzy Patoka, county councilmember from the 2nd district
- Mansoor Shams, Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks official
- Nick Stewart, attorney and activist
- Pat Young, county councilmember from the 1st district
Declined
- James Brochin, former state senator from the 42nd district and candidate for county executive in 2018
- Mike Ertel, county councilmember from the 6th district
- Kathy Klausmeier, incumbent county executive
- Charles E. Sydnor III, state senator from the 44th district ''''
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Patrick Dyer, businessman and nominee for HD-11 in 2006
- Kim Stansbury, businesswoman and candidate for county executive in 2022
Publicly expressed interest
- Chris West, state senator from the 42nd district
Declined
- Todd Crandell, county councilmember from the 7th district
- David Marks, county councilmember from the 5th district ''''
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Rob Daniels, attorney
Frederick County
The incumbent county executive is Democrat Jessica Fitzwater, who was elected in 2022 with 50.4 percent of the vote. She is running for reelection to a second term.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Jessica Fitzwater, incumbent county executive
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- William Holtzinger, former mayor of Frederick and candidate for mayor in 2013
Declined
- Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff ''''
Harford County
The incumbent county executive is Republican Robert Cassilly, who was elected in 2022 with 64.1 percent of the vote. He is running for reelection to a second term.Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Bob Cassilly, incumbent county executive
- Patrick Vincenti, president of the Harford County Council from district E
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Matthew Brown
Howard County
The incumbent county executive is Democrat Calvin Ball III, who was re-elected in 2022 with 59.1 percent of the vote. He is ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Vanessa Atterbeary, former state delegate from the 13th district
- Bob Cockey, restaurateur and Republican nominee for SD-12 in 2022
- Deb Jung, county councilmember from the 4th district
- Liz Walsh, county councilmember from the 1st district
Withdrawn
- Jessica Feldmark, state delegate from district 12A ''''
Declined
- Katie Fry Hester, state senator from the 9th district '
- Opel Jones, county councilmember from the 2nd district '
- Christiana Rigby, county councilmember from the 3rd district
- Courtney Watson, state delegate from district 9B and nominee for county executive in 2014 ''''
Montgomery County
The incumbent county executive is Democrat Marc Elrich, who was re-elected in 2022 with 75.1 percent of the vote. He initially said that he would run for a third term, however, Montgomery County voters approved a referendum during the 2024 elections limiting county executives to two consecutive terms, barring Elrich from running for a third term.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Mithun Banerjee, real estate investor
- Andrew Friedson, county councilmember from the 1st district
- Evan Glass, at-large county councilmember
- Will Jawando, at-large county councilmember and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024
Withdrawn
- Celeste Iroha, medical assistant and gun safety activist
Declined
- David Blair, businessman and candidate for county executive in 2018 and 2022 '
- Benjamin F. Kramer, state senator from the 19th district and son of former county executive Sidney Kramer '
- Kate Stewart, county councilmember from the 4th district ''''
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Shelly Skolnick, attorney and perennial candidate
Declined
- Reardon Sullivan, former chair of the Montgomery County Republican Party and nominee for county executive in 2022 ''''
Prince George's County
The incumbent county executive is Aisha Braveboy, who was elected in 2025 with 91.2 percent of the vote. She is running for re-election to a full four-year term.Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Aisha Braveboy, incumbent county executive
Declined
- Jolene Ivey, at-large county councilmember and candidate for county executive in 2025 ''''
Wicomico County
The incumbent county executive is Republican Julie Giordano, who was elected in 2022 with 51.2 percent of the vote. She is running for a second term in office.Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Julie Giordano, incumbent county executive