On November 5, voters from all across Montgomery County, Maryland will head to the polls to vote for their preferred candidates in the general election.
The Presidential election is the biggest election in the country as it elects the President and Vice-President of the United States. In this year’s contest, former Republican President Donald Trump faces off against current Vice-President Democrat Kamala Harris, who replaced President Joe Biden after he withdrew his name from consideration. Former President Trump is joined on the ticket by Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, while Vice-President Harris is joined by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. There are also two third-party candidates, Jill Stein and Butch Ware for the Green Party and Libertarian Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat.
The most significant office in terms of Maryland’s representation in the federal government is a spot in the United States Senate. Earlier this year, one of Maryland’s Senators, Democrat Ben Cardin, announced he wouldn’t run for re-election after 17 years in office, meaning someone would have to replace him. The two major party candidates; former Governor of Maryland, Republican Larry Hogan, and current County Executive of Prince George’s County, Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, are joined on the ballot by third-party candidate, Libertarian Mike Scott, an Air Force veteran.
For our local congressional districts, in the 4th District, the contest is between the incumbent, Democrat Glenn Ivey, and his Republican challenger, George McDermott. In the 8th District, the contest is between the incumbent, Democrat Jamie Raskin, and Republican Cheryl Riley.
In Montgomery County, three seats on the Board of Education are up for grabs. In the Board of Education races, the top two finishers in the primary advanced to the general election. The two candidates trying to earn an at-large seat on the board are incumbent Lynne Harris, who only beat her opponent, Rita Montoya, in the primary by 306 votes. In District 2, Natalie Zimmerman, who finished 1st in the primary goes against Brenda Diaz, who narrowly edged out incumbent Rebbeca Smondrowski for second in the primary by only 3,423 votes. In District 4, Laura Stewart goes against incumbent Shebra Evans, who she easily beat in the primary by 26,787 votes.
In addition to the offices that are to be decided, voters will also decide on an important state ballot measure in the election. The ballot measure, Maryland Question 1, the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment, asks whether or not people should have the right to reproductive freedom in the state of Maryland (essentially whether or not abortion should be a right in the state). According to BALLOTPEDIA, “a ‘yes’ vote supports adding a new article to the Maryland Constitution’s Declaration of Rights establishing a right to reproductive freedom,” while “a ‘no’ vote opposes amending the state constitution to establish a right to reproductive freedom.”
Obviously, in the days after the general election, we will find out who will win their respective elections.
