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saman4d15
When a General Assembly vacancy occurs, MCDCC members, who are publicly elected representatives, nominate a replacement for the Governor’s confirmation, a process approved by voters and outlined in the Maryland Constitution. I have spent four years working within the party, and I’ve learned that if we want to truly address voter concerns, questions about vacancy procedures should be considered as part of broader electoral reforms.
The most important factor in selecting a candidate is not how many letters of recommendation they can collect, it's about the quality. I look very closely at their work experience and the skill sets they bring to this role, their commitment to Democratic values, and most importantly their work within the district the candidate seeks to represent.
I am a Montgomery County native and lifelong servant leader who believes that privilege is not a socioeconomic status, but the ability to effect change. My work has always focused on building coalitions, and I have fought tirelessly to ensure that people of color, immigrant communities, and other underrepresented groups have a voice within the Democratic Party and representation they can trust, especially in the Trump era, when we are facing increased threats to our rights & inclusion.
The best way to serve a community is to listen and be present, even when no vacancy exists. As an MCDCC member, I engage with communities countywide, meet with delegations to understand their challenges, and have served on boards and advised organizations that are continuously working to make everyday life better for residents. At the end of the day, you choose how to engage and I believe in putting my full self into it with excellence.
Yes, I strongly support special elections to fill state legislative vacancies. I encourage all Marylanders to read my January 2026 op-ed analyzing the legislative effort to preserve the appointment process. Marylanders overwhelmingly support special elections to fill vacancies; the current system deprives Maryland voters of the ability to select their own representatives and empowers county central committees to bestow seemingly insurmountable incumbency advantages. Let Maryland voters decide.
The democratic voice of the district’s residents, above all else, should guide the temporary selection of a placeholder appointee. Selection by the central committee often means a decision by a small group of individuals, primarily from outside the vacancy’s district. The MCDCC consists of 26 members from nine legislative districts. At most four MCDCC members may be from the same district, enabling an appointee to be selected without any member votes from the vacancy’s district.
I am seeking District 15 voters’ support so that I can continue to advocate for the foundational principle of a participatory democracy. I will work to implement simple, specific updates to MCDCC policy to reflect the placeholder approach (currently used for County Council vacancy appointments and elsewhere) that should mitigate the most negative effects of the current state legislative vacancy appointment process.
Enabling voters to select their own representatives protects the community’s best interests. Town halls, community letters, and similar measures of district input are essential today, but are imperfect proxies for voter selection. In the absence of special elections, the MCDCC should only select placeholder appointees, ensuring that the decision in the following election remains entirely with the district’s voters to select their representation.
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williamjrob_
Yes. I support the Foley/Kagen bill that would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow for special elections to fill vacancies in the first two years of a term.
The criteria I've used to vote on candidates to fill vacancies has remained consistent in my time on the committee. I examine a person's record of community and policy engagement, I heavily weigh the written feedback that the committee receives from the community on behalf of the candidate, and rely on the interview we conduct with the candidates to establish who might be a good fit.
I'm currently serving on my party's central committee and I'm running this cycle because I want to keep building a Democratic party that fights for a political and policy agenda that improves lives. I want to continue building an inclusive party that respects the voices of seasoned activists and those bringing new energy alike - and one that has a place for everyone who loves democracy. I've prioritized helping our party reach out across my district and will keep doing so.
I heavily weigh the feedback we receive from the community when considering a vacancy. Likewise, if there are any forums where candidates get to answer questions from potential constituents, I always attend those as well to get a sense of a candidates answers to key issues. Part of my job is to follow the current constitutional process which requires an appointment, so I do my best to get a good sense of how active candidates are and how to align w/ constituents on issues.
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I support special elections to fill these vacancies.
I plan to support a candidate with a track record of improving the 15th district and who knows how to work with Democrats.
I am interested in serving my party’s Central Committee so I can use my organizing skills to help boost voter registration and turnout, recruit and train candidates and volunteers, and raise awareness about upcoming elections and voting options.
I plan to choose candidates with a strong record of public service and a genuine interest in improving the Democratic Party.
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Yes. The appointment system concentrates too much power in a few hands and shuts most Democrats out of the process. Voters should choose their representatives, not party insiders. I support moving toward special elections to fill General Assembly vacancies because a party that believes in democracy should practice it internally too.
These are not ordinary times, and we cannot settle for ordinary leadership. We need to fill vacancies with leaders who can stand up to the Trump administration, fight for our communities over special interests, and deliver real results. We need fighters in Annapolis who understand the urgency of this moment, from threats to immigrant neighbors to federal layoffs, and are ready to deliver real change.
I'm an organizer, not a politician. I've seen firsthand that our party only wins when it's connected to the people it is meant to serve. I'm running to build a party that organizes year-round to defeat MAGA and build a county that works for all of us, while making the Central Committee more transparent and accountable. We have a want-to-be dictator in the White House, and we don't have time to wait to defend our communities, defeat hate, and deliver the change we need for everyone to thrive.
We need real transparency and accountability in the Central Committee. Vacancy selections will be decisions I will make with the district, not for them. I'll host community input sessions for every vacancy, publish my reasoning, and prioritize candidates who reflect the district's diversity and have demonstrated real community ties.
