County

County Council Member, Wicomico County

District 7

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

What this office does: A county council member votes on county laws, the budget, taxes and land-use decisions.

Candidates Compare by issue

Megan Outten

Democratic

Policy manager · Salisbury

The gist

Supports raising county funding for public schools
Supports a long-term county fire service agreement with Salisbury
Supports revisiting a county tax differential for Salisbury
Proposes property tax relief for childcare providers
Supports expanding accessory dwelling units in the county
Proposes a long-term landfill and waste management plan
Supports energy and water standards for data centers

More about Megan

View sources (3)

Supports raising county funding for public schools
Priorities: Megan Outten for Wicomico County
Campaign website · Friends of Megan Outten · meganoutten.com
“Fully fund Wicomico schools: Increase county allocation to restore decades of underfunding and lost ground.”
Supports a long-term county fire service agreement with Salisbury
Wicomico County Council 2026 election candidate profiles (voter guide questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“Our County should be paying its fair share for fire, rescue, and EMS services that the Salisbury Fire Department provides outside city limits.”
Supports revisiting a county tax differential for Salisbury
Wicomico County Council 2026 election candidate profiles (voter guide questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“One issue we don't talk about enough is the Salisbury tax differential.”
Proposes property tax relief for childcare providers
Wicomico County Council 2026 election candidate profiles (voter guide questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“That includes ideas like property tax relief for childcare providers to help stabilize and expand capacity”
Supports expanding accessory dwelling units in the county
Priorities: Megan Outten for Wicomico County
Campaign website · Friends of Megan Outten · meganoutten.com
“Expand opportunities for ADUs in the county to promote housing affordability and availability.”
Proposes a long-term landfill and waste management plan
Priorities: Megan Outten for Wicomico County
Campaign website · Friends of Megan Outten · meganoutten.com
“Develop a long-term waste management plan, strengthen recycling and composting programs, and make investments to extend landfill life”
Supports energy and water standards for data centers
Wicomico County Council candidates, in their own words
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Times (Salisbury), via Yahoo News · Sep 22, 2026 · yahoo.com
“We need clear standards for energy and water consumption, environmental protections, and infrastructure costs.”

Ross Evans

Republican

Commercial insurance broker · Salisbury

The gist

Opposes a complete ban on data centers
Supports a united county push on energy costs
Supports a 10-to-15-year vision plan for the county

More about Ross

View sources (1)

Opposes a complete ban on data centers
Wicomico County Council candidates, in their own words
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Times (Salisbury), via Yahoo News · Sep 22, 2026 · yahoo.com
“I don't believe in completely banning an opportunity for job and economic growth.”
Supports a united county push on energy costs
Wicomico County Council candidates, in their own words
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Times (Salisbury), via Yahoo News · Sep 22, 2026 · yahoo.com
“We then need to communicate vertically with the state officials and horizontally to other counties”
Supports a 10-to-15-year vision plan for the county
Wicomico County Council candidates, in their own words
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Times (Salisbury), via Yahoo News · Sep 22, 2026 · yahoo.com
“Creating a vision for what we want our county to look like 10 to 15 years down the road.”

Joe Venosa

Unaffiliated

History professor, Salisbury University · Salisbury

The gist

Supports a property tax differential for town residents
Opposes the property tax waiver for an upscale Salisbury development
Supports a permanent ban on data centers
Opposes any expansion of liquor stores
Proposes a county transfer tax on major property sales
Proposes county physician assistants for sliding-scale primary care
Supports term limits for all elected officials

More about Joe

View sources (3)

Supports a property tax differential for town residents
Joe Venosa for Wicomico County Council District 7 (campaign site)
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Venosa · joev4wicomico.com
“I will work to pass a long-overdue Wicomico County property tax differential”
Opposes the property tax waiver for an upscale Salisbury development
Joe Venosa for Wicomico County Council District 7 (campaign site)
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Venosa · joev4wicomico.com
“discontinue the huge property tax waiver that the current County Executive and Council approved to subsidize the owners of an upscale housing facility”
Supports a permanent ban on data centers
Wicomico County Council candidates, in their own words
Candidate questionnaire · The Daily Times (Salisbury), via Yahoo News · Sep 22, 2026 · yahoo.com
“should be banned permanently in Wicomico County”
Opposes any expansion of liquor stores
Joe Venosa for Wicomico County Council District 7 (campaign site)
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Venosa · joev4wicomico.com
“I am completely against any and all expansion of liquor stores in our neighborhoods.”
Proposes a county transfer tax on major property sales
Wicomico County Council 2026 election candidate profiles (voter guide questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Sun · May 20, 2026 · baltimoresun.com
“Currently we are one of the only counties in Maryland that does not impose a transfer tax on major property sales.”
Proposes county physician assistants for sliding-scale primary care
Joe Venosa for Wicomico County Council District 7 (campaign site)
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Venosa · joev4wicomico.com
“hire a minimum of seven Physician Assistants to provide low-cost, sliding-scale primary care services to county residents who lack adequate insurance”
Supports term limits for all elected officials
Joe Venosa for Wicomico County Council District 7 (campaign site)
Campaign website · Friends of Joe Venosa · joev4wicomico.com
“I fully support appropriate term limits for all elected office holders”

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.