Musical chairs could be in Prince George’s immediate electoral future

Prince George's County Council Chair Jolene Ivey listens to testimony from Dan Smith during a June 9 council meeting. Photo by William J. Ford.

This fall’s elections in Prince George’s County could be the start a game of political musical chairs that sparks two more special elections next year – and a shakeup in county leadership.

Voters are already set to go to the polls Aug. 6 to fill a vacant at-large county council seat, and later this fall the state elects a new U.S. senator. With two county officials in the running for those offices – County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) for Senate and Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D) for the at-large seat – the outcome could start a scramble to fill the offices they leave behind.

And the winners of those races could lead to yet more shuffling and special elections.

The special primary election next month for a countywide, at-large council seat could create the first falling domino.

It features about a dozen candidates, including Ivey, who represents the county’s 5th District. If Ivey wins the Democratic primary she would the odds-on favorite to win the seat on Nov. 5 in the heavily Democratic county.

In that case, the county would have to hold a special election next year to fill Ivey’s vacant 5th District seat. In an interview this week, Ivey explained why she wants to switch seats on the council.

“The issue for me is that I’ve worked so hard as council chair to kind of bring our council back together and to try to get along in a more collegial way, and to look out for the best interests of the county,” she said. “I am trying to figure out ways to grow our tax base. I’m also just trying to hold the line on spending. I need to make sure that there are enough people on the council who agree with that, so that we don’t run ourselves into a financial hole.”

Ivey first has to get past a crowded primary field that includes state Del. Marvin E. Holmes Jr., former Del. Angela M. Angel, Bowie Mayor Tim Adams, Tamara Davis Brown, Gabriel Njinimbot, Judy Mickens-Murray and Leo Bachi Eyombo. A ninth Democrat, Keisha D. Lewis, said in an email Wednesday night that she is ending her primary campaign.

The four Republican candidates are Kamita Gray, Michael Riker, Isaac Toyos and Jonathan White.

The winner will replace Jamel “Mel” Franklin, a council member for the past 14 years who abruptly resigned June 14, a week before he was charged with multiple counts in what authorities said was a theft scheme that involved more than $133,000 from his campaign account.

His replacement will serve the remaining two years of his term.

Ivey has already racked up endorsements from former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) and state Sen. Ron Watson (D-Prince George’s).

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But she’s taking on some criticism over the cost of the special election that would be needed to fill her 5th District seat. The special election for Franklin’s seat is expected to cost at least $1.3 million .

One of Ivey’s District 5 constituents, Cheverly resident Dan Smith, testified before the council Tuesday about the potential cost of an election to fill Ivey’s seat.

Smith said in an interview Thursday that Ivey has every right to run for the at-large seat, but it “is inconsistent with the position that she took for trying to address the budget deficit in the county.”

“From a standpoint of fiscal responsibility, it doesn’t make sense. She still would remain on the council and have a vote,” said Smith, who serves on the county’s Fair Election Fund Commission, which is overseeing the rollout of a public campaign financing program scheduled to go into effect in 2026.

The Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and the Prince George’s County Young Democrats have scheduled a forum for the Democratic candidates at 6 p.m. on June 23 in the New Carrollton Library.

County Executive choices

Meanwhile, a November victory for Alsobrooks in her race for Senate against former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) could create another special election next year, if she resigns her county executive post before the first Monday in December. If she stays after that – senators are not sworn in until Jan. 3 – the county charter gives the council 14 days to appoint her replacement.

If the council cannot agree in that timeframe, the council chair “shall succeed to the Office for the balance of the unexpired term.” That could trigger yet another special election next year to choose a person to fill another council member’s seat.

County Council at-large member Calvin Hawkins (D) said Thursday he’s “all in” for the county executive’s job, should it open up. He’s worked in county government for about 30 years that includes with the Department of Public Works, Office of Emergency Management and as an adviser to Baker and an aide to the late County Executive Wayne K. Curry.

Besides improving economic development, education and public safety, Hawkins also said the county’s infrastructure needs to be dealt with. For instance, heavy rains can cause flooding around parts of Fort Washington and in areas near the county courthouse in Upper Marlboro.

“I believe the next county executive must be engaged in demonstrating the leadership to get our infrastructure together,” Hawkins said. “If we don’t pay attention to our infrastructure and continue to build, our infrastructure will collapse.”

Another person who expressed interest is Baker, the former county executive who served from 2010 to 2018. He also ran for governor in 2018 and 2022, but didn’t get out of the Democratic primary either time.

“Certainly that’s something I’m seriously considering,” Baker said in an interview Wednesday before traveling to attend this week’s National Association of Counties convention in Tampa, Florida. “I think there are a lot of steps that have to go through before that comes to fruition. Her [Alsobrooks] seat is too important. We need her in the Senate with everything that is going on nationally.”

As for why he is contemplating to a return to his old job, Baker noted a few reasons such as making sure the FBI headquarters relocates to Greenbelt and redeveloping the Blue Line corridor .

“Being able to actually have someone to come in [and] understand how government is run. It’s different from being anything else but county executive,” he said.

State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) did not commit to running for county executive if the seat comes open, but she did not rule it out either, according to a statement from Friends of Aisha Braveboy Campaign.

“The State’s Attorney loves Prince George’s County and will consider opportunities to serve as they become available. Right now, her focus is on the important job that she has been entrusted with,” said the statement that was sent via text message Thursday evening.

One other person who may seek the county executive position is Ivey.

“I am not ruling out anything,” she said Tuesday. “But the thing that I have before me right now is this office, this at-large council seat. That’s what I’m running for right now.”

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