Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• AnnMarie Abell — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  AnnMarie Abell is a Democratic candidate running for St. Mary's County Commissioner President in Maryland for the 2026 election. Before stepping down to focus on her current campaign, she served as the Chair of the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee. During her impactful tenure as Chair, Abell partnered with the Maryland Democratic Party to launch the Contest Every Seat initiative to ensure Democratic candidates competed in every local race across the county. Previously, she was a candidate for Commissioner in District Two. Operating out of Leonardtown, Abell focuses on building better tomorrows for her community.

• Michael Bellis — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Michael Bellis, a dedicated Democratic organizer, was elected to the Saint Mary's County Democratic Central Committee in 2022 and unanimously chosen as its Chair in March 2026. His focus as Chair is on registering voters and organizing for the upcoming elections. Bellis is also the Director of Advancement & Communications for Historic St. Mary's City. His extensive community involvement includes serving as Chair for the Housing Authority of St. Mary's County and on the board of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation, following an appointment by Governor Wes Moore in 2023. He is a graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland.

• Ylonda Michelle Dowleyne — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Ylonda Michelle Dowleyne is a member of the Democratic Central Committee in St. Mary's County, Maryland. A retired military veteran, she holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Cameron University and a Master's in Business Administration from Strayer University. Her public service includes previously serving on the Charles County Monument Commission and the St. Mary's County Social Services Advisory Board. She is currently a member of the St. Mary's County Police Accountability Board. Dowleyne was also a Summer Fellow for the 2012 Maryland Summer Obama Organizing Fellowship Program. She is committed to community service and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

• Kurt Engel — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Kurt Engel, a resident of St. Mary's County since 1997, is a member of the Democratic Central Committee. Born into a military family, he graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy and served briefly in the Merchant Marine before a 20-year career in the US Navy as a helicopter pilot. He holds an MS in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. His final naval assignment brought him to Southern Maryland with the relocation of the Naval Air Systems Command. He is married to Celia Engel, a former county teacher, and they have three sons. The current Democratic Central Committee was elected in 2022 and will serve until 2026.

• David Gilman — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  David Gilman is the Treasurer of the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee in Maryland. The committee is an elected board responsible for supporting Democratic candidates, filling vacancies for certain public offices, and recommending appointments to county boards. As a grassroots organization for the Maryland Democratic Party, the committee engages in fundraising, voter registration, and campaign outreach to elect Democrats. Members of the current committee were elected during the 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial Primary Election and their terms are set to last until 2026.

• Valerie Calhoun Gregorio — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Valerie Calhoun Gregorio is a dedicated public servant and a proud native of Southern Maryland, now running for the Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's County. She is a graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy with minors in Political Science and Sociology. Her past experience includes internships with the St. Mary's County Health Department and the St. Mary's Community Development Corporation, where she researched financial indicators and county budgets. Valerie is passionate about utilizing her non-profit and public policy background to create positive change within her community.

• Bonnie A. Kelnberger — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Bonnie A. Kelnberger is a candidate for the Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's County, Maryland. As a member of the Democratic Party, she is running for a position on the committee that represents the party at a local level.

• Julia M. Nichols — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Julia M. Nichols, a resident of St. Mary's County since 1997, is a dedicated community advocate and a member of the Democratic Central Committee. A librarian by training, she has a long history of service, having been on the boards of the MOMS Club, the Chesapeake Public Charter School, and co-founding the Southern Maryland Youth Orchestra and Choir. In 2018, Nichols was the Democratic candidate for State Delegate in district 29C. She currently serves as the President of the Democratic Club of St. Mary's County and holds positions with the St. Mary's County Arts Council and the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter. Recognized as a 2026 Woman of the Year by the St. Mary's County Commission for Women, she is a mother of three and lives in Leonardtown with her husband.

• Karl Kirby Pence, Jr. — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Karl Kirby Pence, Jr. is a Democratic candidate for the Democratic Central Committee in St. Mary's County, Maryland. A former president of the Maryland State Teachers Association, Pence has a background as a high school teacher in St. Mary's County. His long-standing involvement in local politics includes being honored as the Democrat of the Year by the St. Mary's County Democratic Club in 2015. He also ran for the Democratic Central Committee in the 2022 election. His consistent participation in the Democratic party demonstrates a commitment to community engagement and public service within St. Mary's County.

• Brenda K. Quintero — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Brenda K. Quintero is a Democratic candidate for the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee in Maryland. A recent graduate of the Emerge Maryland program, a training program for Democratic women seeking public office, she is one of the first residents from St. Mary's County to complete the course. Quintero has expressed a belief that politics impacts everyone and emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy to ensure that the voices of community members are heard and that they have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Her candidacy is part of a broader effort to increase female representation in political leadership.

• Matthew T. Riedel — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Matthew T. Riedel is a Democratic candidate for the Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's County, Maryland. He is listed as a member of a St. Mary's County government board with a term ending in 2026.

• John S. Weiner — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  John S. Weiner is a lifelong resident of St. Mary's County and a dedicated member of the Democratic Party. A graduate of Chopticon High School, the University of Maryland, and the University of Baltimore School of Law, he practiced law in Leonardtown for 44 years. Weiner has a long history of community involvement, including service with Christmas in April, Project WARM, and Hospice of St. Mary's. Having previously served as a member of the Democratic Central Committee, he is currently an associate member and has actively supported many local Democratic candidates. He is running for a seat on the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee.

• Rose V. Frederick — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  Rose V. Frederick is a dedicated community leader and a member of the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee. Her extensive public service includes roles as a board member for the Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy and a member of the Uniformed Service Academy Advisory Board. Frederick is also active within the St. Mary's County NAACP, serving on its Political Action Committee, and has previously held the positions of 1st Vice-President and Secretary on the Executive Board. Her political experience includes serving as the Campaign Chair for the Bill Bates Campaign for Delegate in District 29C, demonstrating her commitment to the Democratic Party.

• Julie B. Randall — Democratic Central Committee in Saint Mary's, Maryland

  A dedicated public servant, Julie B. Randall has been a resident of St. Mary's County for over four decades. Her extensive experience includes serving on the St. Mary's County Public Schools committees and being appointed and later elected to the St. Mary's County School Board, where she served as President until 1998. From 1998 to 2002, Randall was the elected President of the St. Mary's County Board of Commissioners, the only Democratic woman to hold the position. In 2022, she was elected to the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee. She is also the founder and president of the Democratic Women of St. Mary's. She and her husband, Robert, live in Lexington Park.