Maryland County Offices
Councilmanic district lines will change in Montgomery County along with the addition of two brand new districts in Montgomery County.
Important Note – Montgomery County does have a Public Campaign Financing Law.
Under Maryland Election Law, Section 13-505, counties may establish their own system of public campaign financing. In September 2014 the Council unanimously enacted Bill 16-14, which established a Public Election Fund to provide public campaign financing for County Executive and County Council candidates. When the Council enacted Bill 16-14 it was the first measure of its type in the Washington metropolitan region and in Maryland.
- Encourage greater voter participation in County elections
- Increase opportunities for more residents to run for office
- Reduce the influence of large contributions from businesses, political action groups, and other large organizations
CLICK HERE for details on Montgomery County’s Public Campaign Financing Law
| Office Sought | Age | State Citizen/ Resident | District Resident | Term of Office | Additional Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Executive | 4 years | As specified in local charter | |||
| County Council | 4 years | As specified in local charter | |||
| Co. Commissioners | 4 years | As specified in public local law | |||
| County Treasurer | 4 years | As specified in public local law | |||
| State’s Attorney | Subdivision 2 years | 4 years | Member – Maryland Bar | ||
| Clerk of the Courts | 4 years | ||||
| Register of Wills | 4 years | ||||
| Orphans Court Judge | Subdivision 1 year | 4 years | |||
| Sheriff | 25 | 5 years | Reside w/in subdivision | 4 years | |
| Board of Education | Vary | Contact specific County |
Before you announce, it’s important to talk to your spouse, your family and close friends. Let them know you are thinking about running. RED FLAG: If your spouse isn’t on board with your plans, then you don’t want to run. It will lead down a rough and bumpy road.
After you’ve gotten the blessing to run for office from your spouse and family, your first task is to find a campaign treasurer. You can’t run without one, and you’ll want to find someone who is detail-oriented, because you don’t want to be late with filings. Your treasurer’s name will be on every piece of political material you put out, from your website to tee shirts. A good rule to follow is that when in doubt, put the authority line on it. I will address the authority line in a later column.
After you decide to be a candidate and you have your treasurer, you need to go to Annapolis to file.
You should make a day of it and take plenty of pictures and videos on the day you file. Consider doing a Facebook Live right after you file – just something brief.