County Council At Large in Montgomery County, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Fatmata Barrie — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Fatmata Barrie is a Democratic candidate running for an at-large seat on the Montgomery County Council. An attorney, Barrie has operated her own law practice since 2008, bringing extensive legal experience to her public service endeavors. She has direct experience within county government, having served as a senior legislative aide to Council Member Will Jawando from 2019 to 2021. Most recently, she was appointed as the executive director of the Montgomery County Police Accountability Board and the Administrative Charging Committee, a position she held from February 2023 to April 2024. Barrie has previously sought public office, including a 2022 campaign for the Council's District 5 seat and a 2018 bid for District 20 Delegate.

• Josie Caballero — County Council At Large in Silver Spring, MD

  Josie Caballero is a Democratic candidate for the Montgomery County Council At Large. A U.S. Navy veteran, she served as a certified nuclear power operator aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, completing four deployments. Following her military service, she transitioned into a career as an activist and political strategist. Caballero has held several significant roles, including serving as a presidential national delegate for the Democratic Party and acting as a founding member of the DNC Trans Advisory Committee. She was also appointed to the Maryland Commission of LGBTQIA+ Affairs. A trans-Latina who began living as her authentic self in 2020, she was raised by a single mother, who was a Head Start teacher, and her grandparents.

• Radwan Chowdhury — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Radwan Chowdhury is a Democratic candidate for the Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. A first-generation Bangladeshi-American immigrant and long-time county resident, Chowdhury brings over 25 years of leadership experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He previously served as a Chief Operating Officer and held key roles at Freddie Mac, Citigroup, and Bank of America. Committed to civic engagement, Chowdhury chairs the East County Citizens Advisory Board and founded the UDiON Foundation. His campaign focuses on affordability, responsible growth, public safety, fiscal discipline, and transparent governance.

• Marc Elrich — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Marc Elrich is a Democratic politician running for the Montgomery County Council as an At-Large member. He previously served three terms as an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council from 2006 to 2018 before being elected as the Montgomery County Executive in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Prior to his time on the County Council, he served on the Takoma Park City Council for nearly two decades from 1987 to 2006. Elrich also spent 17 years working as a public school teacher at Rolling Terrace Elementary School. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in teaching from Johns Hopkins University.

• Dana Eugene Gassaway — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Dana Eugene Gassaway is a Democratic candidate running for Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. A lifelong resident with county roots tracing to the 1700s, he lives in Silver Spring. Gassaway holds a B.S. in biology from Morgan State University and an M.A. in education from Bowie State University. Having previously sought a seat on the county's Board of Education in 2006, he has long been an advocate for community issues. Motivated deeply by the tragic loss of his wife in a local traffic accident, Gassaway's campaign prioritizes government transparency, real accountability, economic opportunity, and ensuring safer neighborhoods.

• Scott Evan Goldberg — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Scott Evan Goldberg is a Democratic candidate for an At-Large seat on the Montgomery County Council. His professional experience includes work as an attorney, a small business owner, and a substitute teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools. Goldberg has a deep history of community leadership, having previously chaired the Montgomery County Democratic Party and the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board. He has also served on the boards of the Montgomery Parks Foundation, the YMCA of Silver Spring, Montgomery County Workforce Development, and the Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees. Goldberg lives in Silver Spring with his wife and two children.

• Hamza Khan — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Hamza Khan is a public affairs professional and Democratic candidate running for Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. A lifelong resident and the son of immigrants, he has dedicated his career to advancing working families, civil rights, and inclusive communities. He played a key role in advocating for the Maryland Juvenile Restoration Act and the Save Ten Mile Creek campaign. With a background advising numerous Democratic campaigns, Khan previously ran for the Maryland House of Delegates. He holds a bachelor's degree from UMBC and a master's in Democracy and Governance from Georgetown University.

• Matt Losak — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Matt Losak is a Democratic candidate running for the Montgomery County Council At-Large seat in Maryland. For over 15 years, Losak has served as the Executive Director and founder of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance, where he advocates for housing stability and tenant protections. He also co-founded Renters United Maryland and chaired the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board. Earlier in his career, Losak served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho and later worked as a communications director for the AFL-CIO. He also held roles in the Clinton Administration, serving as a Special Assistant at the U.S. Department of Labor and as a White House advance press officer.

• Jim McNulty — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Jim McNulty is a Democratic candidate for Montgomery County Council At Large. He currently serves on the Gaithersburg City Council, a position he has held since his election in 2021 and subsequent reelection in 2025. McNulty's career before public service spanned 25 years in television marketing and advertising with prominent companies including Discovery Communications and NBC4. He now works as a Realtor. His path to public service was significantly shaped by his experience as a survivor of the 2010 hostage situation at the Discovery Channel headquarters. Following this event, he founded a support group for trauma survivors. McNulty holds a degree in Communication from the University of Scranton.

• Jeremiah Pope — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Jeremiah Pope is a Democratic candidate for Montgomery County Council At Large. A resident of the county for nearly two decades, he lives in the Silver Spring area with his wife and son. Since 2019, Pope has served as the Chief of Staff for Maryland Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield, contributing to legislation aimed at addressing systemic barriers, hate crimes, and access to services for residents. In 2006, he founded J Pope Consulting, a fundraising and consulting company. Pope holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from New England College and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the College of Charleston. His previous political experience includes a campaign for County Council in District 5 in 2022.

• Laurie-Anne Sayles — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Laurie-Anne Sayles is a Democratic At-Large Councilmember for Montgomery County, inaugurated for a four-year term on December 5, 2022. A public health specialist, her election was a historic milestone, making her the first Black woman and Jamaican-American to serve on the council. Previously, Sayles was the first Black person elected to the Gaithersburg City Council. Her professional background includes roles as a health program manager at Kaiser Permanente, a public health educator, and a consultant for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.

• Prabu Selvam — County Council At Large in Gaithersburg, MD

  I served as a U.S. Air Force officer in Afghanistan. I am also an emergency room doctor and humanitarian worker. Every day in my work, I stand beside families on the hardest days of their lives, providing support, guidance, and advocacy. I meet with members of communities devastated by disasters around the world, then work with local and national governments, as well as nonprofits, to help solve the most critical challenges they face. Now, I want to bring this expertise, judgment, and genuine care for others to the community that raised me. I was born in Montgomery County and educated in our public schools. My parents were Indian immigrants who struggled to make ends meet during the 1980s, moving from one apartment to another in Rockville. With the job security later provided by federal employment, our family was able to buy a home and finally put down roots in Germantown, where I spent most of my childhood. My parents served our nation for decades as federal employees, so this administration’s disrespect for—and direct harm to—federal workers is deeply personal to me. My wife is my greatest source of support, and my five-year-old son is the single biggest inspiration for my County Council run. I see my own son in the eyes of every child in Montgomery County, and I will never give up on their safety, well-being, and education. They deserve to inherit a hopeful future and a sustainable environment—that responsibility is on our shoulders. At a time when public health is under threat and community members are losing access to healthcare, having a physician and public health expert on the County Council is more important than ever. I have held fallen American soldiers in my arms and know firsthand the value of our democracy. At a time when the most vulnerable in our communities are being targeted and our human rights are in danger, my perspective as a veteran is critical. I ask you to stand with me, because I will always stand up for you.

• Karla Silvestre — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Karla Silvestre is a Democratic candidate for Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. She was first elected to the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2018, later serving two terms as board president. Silvestre currently works as the Director of Community Engagement at Montgomery College. Previously, she served as the county's Latino liaison and managed the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center. Originally from Guatemala, she immigrated to the U.S. at age eight. She earned a bachelor's in biology from Florida State University and a master's in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

• Steve Solomon — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Steve Solomon is a Democratic candidate for the Montgomery County Council At Large. A lifelong resident of the county, he is a radio host and producer with a 21-year career in talk radio. Solomon graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Economics. His parents were immigrants who settled in Montgomery County in the 1960s and worked for the federal government. He has previously campaigned for public office, running for County Council in both 2018 and 2022, and for the Board of Education in 2020. Throughout his residency, Solomon has been actively involved in local issues through volunteer work on various boards, committees, and other community-focused groups.

• Lelia B. TRUE — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Lelia B. True is a Democratic candidate running for the Montgomery County Council At-Large seat in the 2026 election. A combat veteran, educator, and executive, she brings a diverse background to the race. True spent 17 years at Comcast, becoming a vice president and general manager managing operations of over $190 million. She also served as head of the Washington Waldorf School and as a teacher and basketball coach at Winston Churchill High School. Her campaign platform emphasizes improving economic opportunity, strengthening education, and promoting sustainable growth alongside fiscal responsibility. She supports collaborative solutions.

• Vicki Vergagni — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Vicki Vergagni is a Democratic candidate running for the Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. With a career spanning 45 years, she brings extensive experience in community management, national nonprofits, and the private sector. Vergagni previously founded and managed a professional services firm that served federal agencies and trade associations. Locally, she served as Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Common Ownership Communities and co-chaired the Distressed Communities Task Force. A former teacher with a background in physical sciences, her campaign prioritizes zoning reform, environmental protection, and affordable ownership housing.

• Muhammad Arif Wali — Student and Community Organizer in Montgomery County, Maryland

  Muhammad Arif Wali is a student at the University of Maryland, majoring in Public Health Science. He founded the International Sports Organization, a non-profit that aims to empower youth, particularly recently arrived refugees, through sports and education. His organization provides support for over 200 children in sports like cricket, soccer, and basketball, and also assists them with academics, college applications, and finding volunteer and employment opportunities.

• Sherwin Wells — County Council At Large in Montgomery County At-Large, Maryland

  Dr. Sherwin Wells is a Republican candidate running for the Montgomery County Council At-Large in Maryland. An immigrant from Trinidad & Tobago and a U.S. Army veteran, he has resided in Gaithersburg since 1997. Wells brings over twenty-five years of experience working in financial services, real estate, and mortgage lending. He earned an associate degree from Montgomery College, a bachelor's from the University of Maryland University College, and a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University. Currently pursuing a Juris Doctor, his platform focuses on practical solutions to improve affordability and support local businesses.

• Christa Tichy — House of Delegates in Legislative District 19, Maryland

  Christa Tichy is a Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in Legislative District 19. A long-time resident of Montgomery County, she is the owner of C&T Contracting and is recognized as the first female licensed master electrician in the state of Maryland. Tichy's platform prioritizes several key issues, including significant investment in vocational education and the skilled trades, expanding affordable housing options, bolstering support for small businesses, and protecting seniors who are on fixed incomes. Her previous community involvement includes serving as Vice Chair of the Workforce Development Board and as a District 19 representative in the Montgomery County Democratic Party.