Board of Education in Commissioner District 1, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Shawna Marks — Board of Education in Commissioner District 1, Maryland

  Shawna Marks is a dedicated community leader running as a non-partisan candidate for the Charles County Board of Education, Commissioner District 1 in Maryland. With a 15-year career as a federal worker in probation, parole, and youth group homes, she brings extensive public service experience. A graduate of Kentucky State University, Marks is deeply involved in local advocacy. She founded Charles County Moms of Color, serves on the Charles County Public Schools Educational Equity Task Force, and is Vice Chair of the Southern Maryland Sierra Club. She has lived in Charles County for 17 years with her husband, an Army veteran, and their children.

• Bernadette Smith — Board of Education in Commissioner District 1, Maryland

  Bernadette Smith is an active non-partisan candidate running for a seat on the Board of Education in Maryland, specifically seeking to represent Commissioner District 1 in Charles County. Based in La Plata, Maryland, Smith filed her candidacy for the upcoming 2026 election cycle in February 2026 and organized her campaign under the committee name "Bernadette Smith For School Board". She is officially listed on the Maryland State Board of Elections roster. Previously, Smith appeared on the ballot for the Charles County Board of Education when she campaigned as a non-partisan candidate for an at-large seat during the primary election held on July 19, 2022.

• Samichie K. Thomas — Board of Education in Commissioner District 1, Maryland

  Samichie K. Thomas is a non-partisan candidate for the Charles County Board of Education representing Commissioner District 1 in Maryland. Thomas was appointed to the Board of Education in October 2023 to fill a District 1 vacancy and was elected vice chairperson of the board in January 2026. She currently chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and serves on the Financial Committee. Professionally, Thomas works as a public sector consulting director specializing in human resources information systems. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work with a minor in education and a master's degree in human resources management and development from Bowie State University.

• Henry Thompson — Republican Central Committee in Charles, Maryland

  Henry Thompson is a non-partisan candidate running for the Board of Education to represent Commissioner District 1 in Maryland. A resident of La Plata in Charles County, Thompson has been an active participant in local elections over the past several years. He previously secured the Republican nomination for Charles County Commissioner President during the 2018 elections. In 2022, Thompson appeared on the general election ballot as a Republican candidate for Charles County Clerk of the Circuit Court. He is now seeking a non-partisan seat on the Board of Education to contribute to local school governance in the upcoming 2026 elections.