Check key election dates, follow Capital Gazette election coverage and get to know the candidates in this 2025 Annapolis election voter guide.

Annapolis mayoral candidates

In responses to the Capital Gazette’s questionnaire, hardware store owner and former alderman Jared Littmann said he’d govern with a “business-driven approach” while military contractor and perennial candidate Bob O’Shea emphasized listening to residents’ concerns and values.

Jared Littmann (Dem.) Robert (Bob) O’Shea (Rep.)

Annapolis aldermanic candidates

In City Council candidates’ questionnaire responses, property taxes, public safety, affordable housing, and basic city services emerged as top issues. Click on a candidate’s name to learn about their employment, education and political experience, what prompted them to run, what they think are the top issues in their ward and their views on housing, public transportation and the decisions of the current council.

Look up your ward

Ward 1

Harry Huntley (Dem.) Tom Krieck (unaffiliated)

Ward 2

Karma O’Neill (Dem.) Kenneth (Ken) Vincent (Rep.)

Ward 3

Mike Dye (unaffiliated) Keanuú Smith-Brown (Dem.)

Ward 4

Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson (Dem.)

Ward 5

Kyriacos (Jack) Papaleonti (Rep.) Brooks Schandelmeier (Dem.)

Ward 6

Diesha S. Contee (Dem.) George Michael Gallagher (Rep.)

Ward 7

Robert Savidge (Dem.)

Ward 8

Will Cunha (unaffiliated) Frank Thorp (Dem.)

Voters in every ward are picking between mayor candidates Rhonda Pindell Charles, the Ward 3 alderman, and Jared Littmann, a former alderman and hardware store owner. The winner of the primary will face Republican Bob O’Shea in the November general election.

Ward 1, 3, 4 and 6 have competitive alderman primaries Tuesday for four-year terms on the city council.

Polling booths and ballot boxes are open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Capital Gazette journalists are deployed throughout Annapolis on Tuesday to cover the city’s primary election. Keep coming back throughout the day for updates.

Business backgrounds, family ties motivate some voters in Ward 5

Voters in Ward 5 trickled through the back door of the Roger “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center late Tuesday morning and afternoon.

Judson Martin, 80, a former jeweler and art teacher, has lived nearly his whole life in Annapolis.

Martin said he voted for Jared Littman for his business experience. He added that either Democratic candidate, Littman or Rhonda Pindell Charles, would make for a successful mayor.

“This is not a political issue to me,” Martin, who owned a jewelry business, said. “He was a businessman in Annapolis, and I remember him opening his business here. I naturally gravitated toward a businessman like that.”

Martin is the son of former Annapolis Alderman William Judson Martin Sr. When asked what issues in Annapolis were top of mind, Martin referred to a host of changes occurring at the federal level. He said Littman was a strong candidate to guide Annapolis through those changes.

Michael Pindell, 75, exited the polling center with a look of pride. He had just cast a vote for his “little cousin,” Rhonda Pindell Charles.

Pindell, who lives on Tyler Avenue in Annapolis, said he voted for his cousin because of her commitment to Annapolis. He added that because of her enduring commitment to the city, nothing would change beside her title if she won.

“She’s been doing this for a while anyways,” Pindell said. “She’s a great leader and I trust her. She’s done a lot for Annapolis.”When asked what specific attribute will make Pindell Charles most effective as mayor, Pindell said one word: “Leadership.”

— James Matheson

Turnout in Ward 8 defies judge’s expectations

Ward 8 is a quieter race this year, with the aldermen candidates in both major parties uncontested; the only race was the mayoral Democratic primary.

Despite that and the rain, David Beagan, one of the polling place’s chief judges, said that turnout has been more than expected.

“Smooth and steady. It’s actually been busier than I expected, but that makes the day go faster for the us judges, but I also think it’s a good sign for election turnout. … it’s a good thing given the size of the ballot,” Beagan said.

Though not on the ballot until the general election, Democratic Ward 8 candidate Frank Thorp was in attendance to meet voters. He said, city-wide, this election has the potential to decide Annapolis’ future.

“This is my opportunity to meet the residents as they go vote. I’m very much a fan of enthusiastic democracy, and I’d like to see everybody involved in this great process that we can select our leaders,” Thorp said. “Annapolis is at an inflection point, with half the City Council turning over in this election; the future of the city is literally at stake.”

Littmann arrived at Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall around noon and was expected to stay until around 1.

— Benjamin Rothstein

Community interaction, congestion among issues cited in Ward 2

Mixed in with library-goers returning books, Ward 2 voters gradually shuffled into the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library Tuesday morning.

Victor Ferreira, a chief election judge, said it had been “a mild day” so far. Just before 10 a.m., 37 votes had been cast at the library, he said.

Fred Foreman, a 68-year-old resident of the Admiral Heights neighborhood, said he voted for Rhonda Pindell Charles because he’s known her for a couple of years and likes how she interacts with the community. He said the most important city issues for him are utility rates and crime.

Kathy Mitchell, a 74-year-old resident of the Homewood neighborhood, was adorned with a Karma O’Neill hat, supporting the incumbent, unchallenged alderman. She said she’s voting for Jared Littman because she went to a few meet-and-greets and thinks he’s the right person to fill Mayor Gavin Buckley’s role. Mitchell said the most important city issues for her are overdevelopment, traffic congestion and speeding on West Street. “You can’t even get out onto West Street from a side street,” she said.

— Maggie Trovato

Gas leak reported, fixed in Ward 3 precinct, Mt. Olive Community Center

Annapolis avoided a crisis in Ward Three after a gas leak nearly prevented residents from casting ballots.

It was a sleepy morning with a dangerous disruption at Mt. Olive Community Center where Ward Three Democrats cast their votes.

In the Ward Three primary, teacher Keanuú Smith-Brown and former Annapolis Recreation and Parks employee Debbie Odum are competing for the seat currently held by Rhonda Pindell Charles, who is running for mayor and endorsed Odum.

“It’s been very slow,” said Odum, who had been sitting and waving to voters from a lawn chair since a little before 8. “I haven’t heard about many issues. It’s been quiet.”

Roughly 30 people had voted by 9:30 a.m.

Dan McDowell, a retiree who has volunteered as an election judge for the past five years, said a few election volunteers noticed a smell creeping into the voting room from the kitchen.

The open setup contains a kitchen with a gas stove. Three pilot lights were out, indicating a leak.

“It’s just amazing to see them in action for something like this,” said Smith-Brown, who eagerly waved to passersby with the help of two volunteers.

BGE was able to secure the leak, according to Lt. Tony William from the Annapolis Fire Marshal’s office.

Three people were evaluated by Emergency Medical Service and declined to be transported for further treatment. The building was evacuated for 10 to 15 minutes.

The fire department, whose union endorsed Smith-Brown, evacuated the building, ventilated the space and then allowed people back in, according to Williams.

Just one person was delayed from voting, but according to McDowell he waited patiently and cast his ballot when the building was cleared.

— Bridget Byrne

Ward 1 voters cite flooding, the environment as major concerns

Shepherd White, a 27-year-old Ward 1 resident, said when deciding between alderman and mayoral candidates, they were looking for candidates who seemed open, accountable and who had a plan related to food resiliency.

“A huge deal for me is having politicians who are in Annapolis who are very eco-conscious and prepared to make changes to the infrastructure of the city to make sure that it is ecologically sustainable, that the flooding won’t continue doing so much economic damage downtown,” White said.

Ward 1 residents Mary Morgan and Mark Schweitzer also mentioned flood resiliency as a top issue this election, as downtown has experienced frequent flooding in recent years.

Other issues for voters in the ward, home to the most competitive city council primary, included property taxes and short-term rental policies.

— Katharine Wilson

Rainy weather in the forecast

Very light rain was felt across the city this morning, as candidates were making their final efforts to get residents off the street and into the polling booths.

The National Weather Service is predicting possible showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, but candidates say they’re still planning to be out at polling locations.

— Katharine Wilson

State politicians make their way to the polls

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Rep. Sarah Elfreth and Del. Dana Jones were spotted at the city hall polling station in Ward 1 early this morning.

“I encourage you to exercise your right to vote in this really important primary election where everyone is on the ballot,” Elfreth said in a video posted to her X account.

— Katharine Wilson

Ward 3 Residents weigh in on the mayoral election

Denise Vauls, a 74 year-old Ward 3 resident, said she voted for Pindell Charles because she grew up in the Parole neighborhood with the candidate and because of Pindell Charles’ work in her community as an alderman.

“Rhonda is really a hard worker; she’s fair to everybody,” Vauls said.

Vauls said she wants candidates to discuss ways to add more police patrols in the neighborhood around the Mount Olive Community Life Center, where the Ward 3 polling place is located.

Henri Abrams, a new resident of Annapolis’ Ward 3, said he was voting for Littmann because of his track record owning a store and being on the board of True Value Hardware, adding that these experiences show Littmann understands contracts and budgeting.

“It goes back to what you’ve done,” Abrams said. “The man has a body of work.”

— Katharine Wilson

Focus on local issues in Ward 7

Though voters were sparse in Ward 7 on Tuesday’s rainy afternoon, voter Laura Booth said she is paying attention to what her vote would mean for the services provided to Annapolis residents, particularly in keeping kids off the streets.

In an election with only one race, she explained why it was still important to her to show up and vote.

“What happens in Annapolis affects you the most directly. Things that happen at the state and the federal level get all the big headlines, but all of those changes take a while to get down to you at your level,” Booth said.

— Benjamin Rothstein

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Republican West Annapolis

Why are you running for office?

After completing my military and government service, I am now able to serve in local government and campaign in party elections. Annapolis is my forever home now, and I would like to serve the community as a leader who represents the people in Ward 2 and all of Annapolis. I would like to lean on my four decades of public service to make Annapolis the best city that it can be and to make Annapolis a great place to live!

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

Integrity in governance is my #1 priority. Common sense, open ears, transparency, faithfulness, responsiveness, and representing the needs of our residents, without regard to their political, financial or social status!

Make our community safer by improving and enhancing police patrols, presence, and effectiveness in Ward 2. All residents in all neighborhoods deserve to feel safe and be safe and secure in their homes.

Improve the effectiveness and customer service of city services for residents and businesses! This includes building permits, zoning, inspections, parking, transportation, parks and recreation and streets. All residents, regardless of race, social or economic status, need to equally receive city services.

Fix our city parking.

Fix the permitting and inspection crisis that delays residential and commercial.

Make our city affordable for all city residents, whether they own or rent their homes.

Work to keep the city budget under control and minimize tax increases.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

In affordable housing:

Explore a city-sponsored or partnered program to provide a pathway to home ownership for our disadvantaged community and those who continue to be adversely affected by displacement from their Old Ward 4 homes in the last century.

Work with non-profit and government partnerships to promote the availability of dignified and affordable housing. The Willow Project is an example of one of these projects.

Consider a city system to prevent rent from increasing at rates that are not affordable to our residents.

In transportation:

Review buses and public transportation routes and fees, and consider bus passes for city residents.

Provide more parking and affordable parking for our residents and guests. Eliminate the confusing and unreliable methods of paying for parking in the city, which disenfranchise elderly and disadvantaged residents.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

Yes…

City Dock Project as currently going forward.

Changing building height restrictions in City Dock area for one developer.

Parking regulations, enforcement, and contracts with third parties.

Revisit recent changes to Short Term Rental regulations (AirBNB) to make these enforceable and fair to all!

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Unaffiliated Eastport

Why are you running for office?

Since moving to Annapolis, my husband and I have poured our hearts and souls into our community. We’ve renovated a home, opened a small business (Oscar’s Coffee), and faced the unimaginable as a victim of violent crime. These experiences have given me more than a few gray hairs—they’ve ignited a fire and given me a perspective that can’t be taught.

I am running because we need a change. From my time in the Boy Scouts to the Naval Academy, the Navy, and the government, I’ve always felt an unwavering call to serve. This isn’t about me. It’s not about a resume bullet or a retirement hobby. It’s about having a real impact and making our community better for all. It’s about ensuring everyone in Eastport feels like they have a voice and a seat at the table. We’ve been told for too long to accept “that’s the way it is,” but I’m here to ask, “Why?” Every resident of Eastport deserves a voice that will listen, fight for them, and bring a Fresh Perspective to City Council

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

Throughout my campaign, I’ve made it my mission to listen first and speak second (if at all). As a homeowner and business owner, I’ve heard fellow neighbors’ frustrations firsthand: the fear of walking down our streets, the continually rising cost of living, and a lack of faith in our City to get things done.

We have a 2016 Eastport Traffic Study gathering dust on a shelf. Our City property tax rate has soared by 40% in 15 years, and how long does it take to get an email or call back from someone at the City?

It’s time for us to demand better. It’s time to implement recommendations we’ve paid for, take control of our budget and not price out our neighbors, and hold our City accountable to answer the phone! As the taxpayers, residents, and business owners who fund our community, we should demand accountability and real results for our investment.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

Eastport’s strength lies in its unique character and diverse history. However, a rising cost of living has priced out fellow neighbors, while strict zoning laws prevent flexible, inclusive development.

Additionally, we’ve fallen behind on critical infrastructure. While the world embraces alternative transportation and environmental resilience, we still lack safe bike lanes, walkable sidewalks, and efficient public transit.

The time is now to change course. We must update our zoning laws to allow for mixed-use development that serves everyone, not just a few. It’s time to invest in safe, efficient transportation options that capitalize on our neighborhood’s walkable and bikeable layout. By focusing on these outcomes, we can ensure Eastport remains a diverse, attractive, and accessible community for generations to come.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

While my fellow neighbors and I share deep concerns about the direction and funding of projects such as City Dock or the lack of action regarding basic needs such as safe sidewalks, I’m not here to criticize past decisions or the people who made them.

Instead, my campaign is focused on what’s next. I’ve listened to the challenges our neighbors are facing and am committed to offering practical, results-oriented solutions we can implement together, for the betterment of all of us. We must respect Eastport’s unique character while also challenging the status quo. Instead of accepting “the way it is,” we must ask “why?”

My campaign is about building a better future for everyone, not dwelling on the past.

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Democratic Harbour House

Why are you running for office?

Im running for office because i want to be the change i wanted to see. I desire to be part of the solution, I have been advocating for and with residents of our city for years. Not because it was my job but because it was necessary. Whether it was assisting with housing issues, rent issues, lack of school uniforms, financial resources, helping feed the hungry and or diapers/baby items was there.Now i want to do this on a broader scale to be able to create change through legislation

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

Public safety – bringing jobs, workshops, training/programs which assists with current adverse childhood experiences that helps to understand and cope with deeper rooted issues.Environmental justice- educating residents on proper housing keeping and also educating property management staff on how to properly deal with the issues once they arise. Affordable housing- I say we compromise some other project wants and adhere to the apparent project need, if funding is super hard to come by prioritizing is a must

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

I see affordable housing being close to non existent in our city in the next 4 years! With the city constantly being developed and housing prices going sky high housing here will not be available for low to moderate income residents. I see public transportation being more of an inconvenience to access with more and development there will be lack of workers and available vehicles to accommodate the fast growth! Our excessively overcrowded roads with continue to make public transportation a hectic option for residents of our city.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

No

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Democratic President’s Hill

Why are you running for office?

I love Annapolis, and I feel an obligation to use my expertise and energy to leave it even better than I found it. I grew up in a family where your mission is to “Leave the world better than you found it.”

My background is working hard on farms then becoming an expert in agriculture policy. Both of those roles prepared me for being on the city council, because Annapolitans expect someone who will “make it happen”. That requires both a raw determination to go out and get it done yourself sometimes and the nuanced legislative skills to bring together all groups to hash out innovative solutions to complex problems.

You can tell by looking at the long list of community leaders who are supporting my campaign–from Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth to Mayor Gavin Buckley and from community association board members to local small business owners–that I’ve been an effective alderman.

I’m running for reelection because we’ve made a lot happen over the past year, but there’s even more work to do.

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

The most common sentiment I hear from residents is “I pay a lot in taxes, and I want to see the results.”

Residents want to know their government is efficient and effective at addressing the “little” things that make a big impact on their quality of life. That’s why I’ve worked hard on fixing sidewalks, maintaining parks, and simplifying parking.

And everybody wants to know they can trust their government. My biweekly newsletters have created transparency. I have championed election reforms like ranked choice voting.

Bigger issues include safety, city dock, and short-term rentals.

To protect our people, we need more lighting and eyes on the street. The City Dock project should be about unpaving paradise and preserving it for posterity, and I’ll ensure we get it done. Short-term rentals are an existential threat to our communities, so I’ve introduced legislation to cap the percentage of them on any block.

Finally, I’m the only candidate with a plan to actually lower our tax rate.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

We must make it easier for people who love Annapolis to invest in Annapolis—including their homes, small businesses, and neighborhoods. You shouldn’t have to beg the city for a permit to fix your porch or put in a fence. This will lower expenses while making our neighborhoods more vibrant and family-friendly.

We should be exploring ways to allow the rest of the city to build in the smart, fiscally-sustainable ways that Ward One has. My legislation to re-allow duplexes on double lots is one step towards that. We know that having walkable amenities makes neighborhoods more desirable, so let’s stop prohibiting these in our zoning code.

I’m working almost every day to fix our broken transportation systems so parking is easy, biking is safe, and walking is fun. We’ve made the city owned-garages easier to use, but Hillman is still too difficult. And I made sure to double funding for fixing sidewalks while dedicating half a million dollars a year specifically to repairing brick sidewalks.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

We need to seriously reconsider our parking agreement. Premium Parking’s business model seems to be to lock in longterm contracts then do as little as required to minimize expenses and maximize profits. In particular, I believe they are not meeting their contractual obligations to patrol on-street residential parking. Allowing Premium to become part of the agreement and not having strong enforcement mechanisms for that agreement is the single biggest mistake this administration has made.

A few smaller ones:

-I’d like to revisit my budget amendment that didn’t pass to fund the Downtown Ambassadors, who would have acted like beat cops and visitor guides for a very affordable price.

-We should reevaluate opportunities to trim the capital budget (including the exorbitant Annapolis Walk Parking Lot I tried to cut) for opportunities to rebalance the budget towards commonsense maintenance like sidewalk and street repair.

-There’s no need to spend *another* $105,000 to subsidize electric leafblowers.

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Sept. 16 primary Democratic Historic District

Why are you running for office?

It seems at times like our wonderful hometown of Annapolis has lost its way and is off on the wrong path. Property taxes for homesteaded owners skyrocketed by an outrageous 44% over just the past eight years alone. Equally concerning, we have the slowest emergency response times in the city in Ward One because of a lack of adequate fire department staffing – and the city council refuses to staff the needed fifth rescue unit during the peak demand hours. We need to return the focus at City Hall away from costly, flashy pet projects, and get back to the basics: effectively delivering our core city functions well for the residents. My extensive professional, governmental, public safety, and community experience will make me an effective fighter for a better, safer, and more affordable Annapolis.

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

A BETTER ANNAPOLIS:

– Stop the flooding at City Dock. Focus on resiliency. Kill the massive, costly Maritime Welcome Center. Stop the proposed spot-zoning that lifts the current hotel height restrictions.

– Protect the special character of the Historic District.

– Repair streets and sidewalks.

– Fix the parking problems downtown.

A SAFER ANNAPOLIS:

– Staff a fifth emergency rescue unit to improve response times in Ward One.

– Recruit/retain the best cops and firefighters in the region.

– Complete needed bike lane connectors.

A MORE AFFORDABLE ANNAPOLIS:

– Fiscal responsibility with NO tax hikes.

– Reduce the City’s annual 10% homestead assessment cap to 2% to stop skyrocketing property taxes on homeowners.

– Better use of tax dollars to save money. Cancel wasteful projects like the multi-million dollar plan for the City to buy/operate ferry boats between City Dock and Eastport.

– Consolidate services with the County, when possible, to cut costs and increase staffing/services.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

Consolidating the City bus system into the County’s bus system will make public transportation in the City more practical, robust, and functional. It will also connect us to a more complete mass transit system. Further, we should repurpose some of the current “City Circulator” buses into: (a) a 24-hour circulator route between downtown and the larger apartment complexes ringing the City where many of the service, office, and marine industry workforce resides; and (b) a new regular service operating between a Downtown-Eastport-West Annapolis corridor and the New Carrollton WMATA Metro station during all Metro train service hours, so as to connect Annapolis residents to the DC metro area and Amtrak/MARC trains.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

Yes, the City Dock plans must be revisited. The likely loss of the federal funding requires a retooling, downscaling, and reimagining of the project. Shifting the entire $73 million total cost onto the residents via bonds (higher future tax bills) was never envisioned, nor is it affordable or reasonable. Due to these new fiscal realities, let’s focus on the essential resiliency aspects: higher sea walls, the raised greenspace park, and hydraulics. We don’t need – and should cancel – the proposed Maritime Welcome Center. The MWC is too big, too expensive, and doesn’t respect the special character of the Historic District. Let’s instead rehab the existing Burtis House to become the new Harbormaster office and bathroom/shower facilities for boaters. On a related note: we do not need a 90+ slip private marina, nor a high-rise hotel, at City Dock.

There are a few other issues I may also like to revisit, but City Dock is by far the top of the list.

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Republican Murray Hill

Why are you running for office?

Annapolis needs a mayor who will listen to the residents’ concerns and values. A mayor who will put the city’s needs over his own personal gain. Annapolis needs a mayor whose vision fits the character of our great community and establishes a path forward that fits this unique place we call home. That’s me! I will work to gain the trust of the public and create a city that all will be proud of. Every neighborhood has its own character, history, and goals. My administration will respect and preserve it. I will establish rapport with community leaders and receive input on their vision moving forward to better their neighborhood for all involved. As mayor, I will be Transparent, Accessible and Accountable for all.

Gun violence has been on a downward trend since 2023. What is your plan to keep that trend?

Some studies indeed report a downward trend in gun violence since 2023, returning to pre-pandemic levels. The problem lies in varying methodology. Data excluded in one study may be recorded in another, leading to different interpretations. An example would be shots fired, a crisis across our city. While some incidents of violence are trending down, through Aug. 20, incidents involving homicide, shootings, or shots fired were up 54% year over year, from 24 to 37, according to the city’s Annapolis Homicide & Gun Violence Dashboard. My administration will host regular community walks and resident listening sessions to build trust. Mentorships and after-school programs will be two of the avenues I plan to implement to promote prevention. Creating hot-spot foot patrols and working closely with prosecutors and probation officers to identify repeat violent offenders. Every neighborhood has a right to safety. As mayor, I will report all data honestly, invest in prevention, and have a visible, respectful police presence that reduces crime and protects residents.

The spending plan for the city has increased its operating expenses by roughly $17.2 million since fiscal year 2024. Do you believe the city is spending too much? Why or why not?

Yes. Annapolis is overspending. The budget has risen from 106 million in 2017 to nearly 200 million today. Public safety is underfunded. Our streets are lined with potholes and unfinished bike lanes. Our kids play on fields that turn to mud after rain. The pumps downtown have not been maintained. Too many dollars are tied up in administrative layers and redundancy, not in neighborhood needs. As mayor, I will freeze non-essential administrative growth and conduct a top-to-bottom efficiency audit. Then redirect the savings to paving, parks, stormwater, and facility upkeep. My vision will move from reactive repairs to a proactive schedule with clear timelines. My administration will hold the line on taxes by controlling overhead and prioritizing core services first. Annapolis residents deserve visible, reliable results for every tax dollar. As mayor, I will cut waste and invest in maintenance, prevention, and community needs. I will reduce the budget for the residents who fund it.

Many Annapolis residents are concerned about the affordability of living in Annapolis and several city council candidates want to improve affordable housing in the city. What do you plan to do to address this? What are your thoughts on the city’s current property tax rates?

The city’s property tax is excessive. I support a maximum 2% assessment rate of increase for the Homestead Property Tax Credit. I am the only candidate who supports a property tax cap. Housing is affordable when the tax burden no longer cripples the homeowner. My administration will protect generational homes through property tax freezes or assessment increase limits. Less than 10% of the city is undeveloped. I’ll protect that asset. I oppose high-density development that diminishes our quality of life. I will not allow development that overburdens our schools and infrastructure. As mayor, I’ll establish a registry of abandoned and neglected properties, create public-private partnerships to transform them into unique and affordable homes. Reduce permit fees on ADUS and first-time homeowners restoring properties. I’ll enforce inspections for public housing. Establish a “quality of life” for all the rentals. It does not matter if the home is affordable if it is not livable.

View all candidates for Annapolis mayor View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Nov. 4 general election Democratic Georgetown Grove (Annapolis)

Why are you running for office?

I’ve been a public servant for most of my professional career; I enjoy serving the public and building a better community for all. As an environmental scientist and advocate my primary policy goal is to improve our environmental health. My secondary and related goal is to transition to a sustainable mobility model. If we want to meet our climate targets to reduce the 30% of emissions from our transportation sector, if we want to achieve our affordable housing goal and reduce the cost of living, if we want to make our streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as drivers, and if we want to ensure our communities are connected with clean and quite areas to gather, we must break free from our overreliance to automobiles.

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

Mobility concerns are really top of mind to people in my Ward. We are on the edge of town, and have a high concentration of seniors, and residents want to be able to easily stay connected to downtown and their friends and services elsewhere in the City. This means addressing the traffic and safety issues on our roads. Forest Drive is the most dangerous road in the County. That is not acceptable to me. On top of that, we have the highest concentrations of schools along this roadway. We need an alternative and way forward. Sustainable mobility and associated high value transit is the solution to these woes.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

We need more affordable housing options. But we cannot absorb such growth and density unless we adopt a strategy and plan to move towards sustainable mobility. We need transit oriented development (meaning transit and transportation being improved with development), not density driven development (where density happens first and then government responds, hopefully). I am working on policies that emphasize establishing community benefit agreements and transit oriented development tax incremental financing districts to be requirements with density increases. Additionally, we can’t have affordable housing without free and sustainable mobility options. Having to pay for a $40,000 car and associated insurance is not affordable. People must be able to get around without a car in a reliable and safe manner. I’ve secured record amounts of funding to address safety issues on our roadways including redesigns, road diets, traffic circles, and expanding transit options.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

I was on the previous council, so no. I want to build off of the accomplishments we’ve enacted and fully implement our Plan 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

View all candidates for Annapolis City Council View other races

The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.

Candidate in Sept. 16 primary Democratic Downtown Historic District

Why are you running for office?

I don’t feel our current elected officials are doing enough to give voice and hope to the increasing affordable living concerns for our working class, working poor, and other underprivileged and underserved communities in Annapolis and Ward 1.

What issues are important to your ward? How do you plan on addressing them?

Affordable and healthy housing through revisiting zoning, stronger renter’s protections, and active policy to limit short term rentals while also working to make the current available housing more affordable. We also must work to ease the burden and cost of opening and operating business in downtown Annapolis for small and local business owners.

How do you see housing and public transportation development progressing in the next four years?

If we don’t take drastic actions, both will significantly get worse over the next four years. Housing prices continue to increase for renters and home buyers alike, and if it’s not addressed, we will continue to price out the working class from our community. Making public transportation free for Annapolitans will make a drastic improvement in the ability of the working class to effectively get to and from work.

Are there decisions/legislation from the previous council that you want to readdress?

One recent subject I was happy to see broached was in regards to Ranked Choice Voting. As the system currently is, in the primary, citizens are forced to make decisions based out of FEAR of who they don’t want to get elected instead of making decisions based on who they WANT to get elected. A move to Ranked Choice Voting will allow voters to more freely speak with their hearts and who they like instead of making decisions out of fear of another candidate being elected because they didn’t vote for a more widely known candidate.

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The Capital Gazette’s voter guide allows candidates to provide their background, policy and platforms on issues, in their own words. Any questions or feedback can be emailed to elections@baltsun.com, or read more about the questionnaire process.