County

County Executive, Montgomery County

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The county executive runs county government day to day, proposes the county budget and appoints department heads.

Candidates Compare by issue

Will Jawando

Democratic

Montgomery County Council member (at large); civil rights lawyer

The gist

Supports affordable housing near transit and renter protections
Supports a higher tax rate on the wealthiest residents
Pledges review of corporate subsidies and developer incentives
Pledges to prioritize education and childcare in the budget
Proposes expanding mental health, food and workforce assistance
Supports police transparency and accountability measures
Supports addressing root causes of crime
Supports a two-year moratorium on new data centers

More about Will

View sources (2)

Supports affordable housing near transit and renter protections
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We need to build real affordable housing near transit, protect renters from being squeezed out”
Supports a higher tax rate on the wealthiest residents
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The wealthiest among us should pay a higher rate so middle-class families and elderly residents get relief.”
Pledges review of corporate subsidies and developer incentives
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I'll take a hard look at corporate subsidies, developer giveaways, and management costs we can streamline.”
Pledges to prioritize education and childcare in the budget
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I'll prioritize education, childcare, and services for working families.”
Proposes expanding mental health, food and workforce assistance
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“That means expanding mental health services, food assistance and workforce support.”
Supports police transparency and accountability measures
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I believe in building real trust between communities and law enforcement through transparency and accountability.”
Supports addressing root causes of crime
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“We must invest in the root causes of crime: mental health, youth programs, housing stability.”
Supports a two-year moratorium on new data centers
Will Jawando for Montgomery County Executive
Campaign website · Will Jawando campaign · willjawando.com
“Will is fighting for a two-year moratorium to protect our energy, environment, and communities from unchecked data center expansion.”

Esther Wells

Republican

Certified public accountant (tax)

The gist

Proposes reversing the 4.7% property tax rate increase
Proposes cutting the county income tax rate to 2.25%
Supports weakening rent control and keeping single-family zoning
Proposes phasing out the Working Families Income Supplement
Proposes requiring job training and counseling for social services recipients
Proposes scaling back Blueprint for Maryland's Future mandates
Supports restoring school resource officers in MCPS
Pledges to fully staff the county police department

More about Esther

View sources (1)

Proposes reversing the 4.7% property tax rate increase
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“reverse the recent 4.7% property tax rate hike, cut the annual cap on property assessment increases by 50%”
Proposes cutting the county income tax rate to 2.25%
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I will decrease the personal income tax rate from 3.2% to the state-mandated minimum of 2.25%”
Supports weakening rent control and keeping single-family zoning
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“protect Single-Family Zoning, weaken rent control laws to stimulate new construction”
Proposes phasing out the Working Families Income Supplement
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“phase-out the local Working Families Income Supplement, decrease the County Fuel Energy Tax by 75% to lower utility costs”
Proposes requiring job training and counseling for social services recipients
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“provide workforce development and financial counseling as requirements for receiving social services.”
Proposes scaling back Blueprint for Maryland's Future mandates
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“scale back Blueprint for education mandates that lack proven results”
Supports restoring school resource officers in MCPS
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“restore funding for School resource Officers (SROs) in MCPS to provide crisis support and safety during emergencies”
Pledges to fully staff the county police department
VOTE411 Voter Guide: Montgomery County Executive (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I will prioritize fully staffing our police department to improve response times”

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; 6 issues covered in this race.