Local Democratic leader urges move from at-large to district voting for county offices

Anne Marie Abel of Leonardtown, who identified herself as chair of the St. Mary's County Democratic Central Committee, told the commissioners that electing county commissioners and board of education members at-large dilutes district-level representation.

Abel said the county uses resident districts for representation but elects officials in an at-large system that allows candidates to win countywide without majority support from the candidate's resident district. She cited prior elections in 2014 and 2022 as examples and argued district-based voting would create "authentic accountability." Abel asked the commissioners to "put county voters' interests first" and consider moving to a district-based system.

Her remarks were a request for policy consideration; the transcript does not record a board vote or staff directive on changing the election method.