The Prince George’s County Council picked the dates for the special election to fill the county executive seat of Angela Alsobrooks, who resigned after winning a seat in the U.S. Senate.
The primary election will be March 4 followed by a general election May 27. Candidates have until Dec. 20 to file.
Some Council members wanted the process to be quicker, but county election administrator Wendy Honesty-Bey said more time is needed to make sure they can get everything done.
“With the last special election, we were not able to send out overseas ballots, which is a law,” she said.
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Rushern Baker, a former Maryland delegate who also served two terms as Prince George’s County executive, announced he’s joining the crowded field.
“I know what it's like to deal with a federal administration that’s hostile to you or could be hostile to you,” he said. “I know what it’s like to deal with furloughs and federal shutdowns and budget deficits.”
Two County Council members also are running.
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“It's a really important time, and I’m just so focused on the budget,” Chair Jolene Ivey said.
“I separate myself for my 30 years of experience as a county employee, but not only that, I’m prepared to serve day one,” at-large member Calvin Hawkins said.
Prince George’s County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy is running as well.
St. Mary’s College political science professor Todd Eberly says it's an impressive group of candidates and the county executive seat has been a good launching pad to higher office.
“It's possible one of them breaks out from the pack; it’s also possible that you have a four-way race at 25%,” he said. “So, it's gonna be a fascinating race to watch.”
The winner will serve out the rest of Alsobrooks' term, which will be less than two years.
