State Senator in Legislative District 16, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Lou James Bartolo — State Senator in Legislative District 16, Maryland

  Lou James Bartolo is a Democratic candidate for the Maryland State Senate in Legislative District 16. A registered nurse, Bartolo brings a healthcare-focused perspective to his campaign. He obtained a graduate degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and a doctoral degree from Loyola University New Orleans. His platform centers on addressing healthcare workforce shortages, managing public health crises, and improving access to services for mental health and substance use disorders. He is also a proponent of reproductive rights. A resident of Chevy Chase, Bartolo is an active member of several organizations across Maryland. The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 23, 2026, and the general election will be held on November 3, 2026.

• Sara N. Love — State Senator in Legislative District 16, Maryland

  Sara N. Love is a Democratic State Senator representing Maryland's Legislative District 16. Appointed to the Senate in June 2024, she previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates, beginning her tenure in January 2019. An attorney by profession, her career prior to public office included roles as the Public Policy Director for the ACLU of Maryland and as General Counsel and Legal Director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. Senator Love earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. During her service in the General Assembly, she has been a member of the Environment and Transportation Committee, the Judicial Proceedings Committee, and has chaired the Chesapeake Bay Commission.