Uncontested Races Shape Maryland's 2026 Elections Landscape

The candidate filing deadline for the 2026 Maryland elections has closed, revealing a number of races that are effectively settled due to a lack of opposition.

Among the most notable is Attorney General Anthony Brown, who is running for re-election without facing any challengers. The Republican Central Committee has designated James B. Rutledge, III as his opponent for the general election.

In the State Senate, over a third of the seats are uncontested, with all candidates in these districts being incumbents. However, some of these races have seen the opposing party's central committee appoint candidates to fill the vacancies.

In the House of Delegates, just over 10% of delegates are running unopposed, with some districts having multiple seats. The situation is similar, with a few candidates now facing opponents after the designation deadline.

Steuart Pittman, Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, emphasized the party's commitment to fielding candidates in every district, stating, "This is about competing everywhere. For too long there were districts where Democrats did not always field candidates. That changes now."

Local Races Overview

Several key local races are also shaping up:

• The Clerk of the Circuit Court race in Baltimore is uncontested, with MK Fowler as the sole candidate.
• Incumbent State's Attorney Ivan Bates faces no challengers in Baltimore City.
• In the Clerk of the Circuit Court race, Xavier A. Conaway is the only candidate filed to retain his position.
• Uncontested Board of Education seats include Jane Lichter in District 2, Brenda Hatcher-Savoy in District 4, and Julie Henn in District 5.

In Anne Arundel County, all races are contested in at least the general election. Similarly, Baltimore County has seen its races remain unchanged following the designation deadline, with Michael R. Guerin continuing as County Commissioner for District 4.

Howard County has also confirmed winners in three races: Rich Gibson as State's Attorney, Jen Terrasa as Clerk of the Circuit Court, and Marcus Harris as Sheriff.

The certification of election results is scheduled for November 13.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR 2 News Baltimore (source).