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Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Vote for
1
Term
4 years
Candidates
4
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The governor is Maryland's chief executive: proposes the state budget, signs or vetoes laws, appoints judges and cabinet secretaries, and leads the executive branch. The lieutenant governor runs on the same ticket and fills in when the governor can't serve.

CandidatesCompare by issue

Taxes & budget

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Proposes a 4.9% state income and business tax rate.
    • Proposes capping property tax assessments and auditing every agency.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Supports taxing the rich and ending corporate tax breaks.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    No documented position found.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Public safety

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Supports renewed police coordination on immigration, focused on violent criminals.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Opposes any Maryland government cooperation with ICE.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    • Opposes ICE enforcement actions.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    • Opposes deputizing Maryland police to work with ICE agents.

Housing

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Proposes down-payment help and tax credits for first-time buyers.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    No documented position found.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    No documented position found.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    • Supports building more affordable housing and curbing price gouging.

Economy & jobs

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Proposes a state-owned public bank and more worker co-ops.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    • Supports a living-wage job for every worker.
    • Supports workers organizing for higher wages and affordable necessities.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    • Pledges to continue job-creation legislation and executive actions.

Roads & infrastructure

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Pledges to rebuild the Key Bridge.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Supports new public power utilities to lower electric bills.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    No documented position found.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Environment & parks

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Proposes new power plants and leaving the RGGI carbon program.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Opposes new data centers in Maryland.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    No documented position found.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    No documented position found.

Health & human services

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    • Proposes universal opt-in coverage at legislators' premium rate.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Supports exploring a state single-payer health system.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    • Supports health care as a right, not based on income.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    • Supports funding rural hospitals and statewide health care access.

Government & transparency

  • Dan CoxRepublican

    No documented position found.

  • Andy EllisGreen

    • Supports ranked-choice voting and public campaign financing.

  • Cathy WhiteWorking Class Party

    • Supports a separate political party for working people.

  • Wes MooreDemocratic

    • Supports laws protecting election workers.

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 8 issues covered in this race.