By MDBayNews Staff
Howard County heads into the 2026 election cycle facing one of its most consequential local races in years: an open-seat contest for County Executive. Incumbent Calvin Ball III, a Democrat first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, is term-limited and cannot seek a third term. His departure guarantees a competitive race to define the county’s next chapter.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026, with the general election on November 3, 2026. In a county that reliably leans Democratic, the primary is widely expected to determine the eventual winner—though the filing deadline of February 24, 2026 leaves the door open for late entrants, including Republicans.
As of late January 2026, however, the race is firmly a Democratic affair.
The State of the Race: Who Has Filed
According to the Maryland State Board of Elections’ most recent filings (updated around January 30, 2026), three Democratic candidates have formally filed to run for Howard County Executive:
Bob Cockey
Bob Cockey filed on December 18, 2025. A longtime local resident and restaurateur, Cockey is positioning himself as an outsider with business experience rather than a career politician. His campaign has drawn some early scrutiny over missed or delayed campaign finance reporting and uneven early fundraising, but he emphasizes practical solutions, fiscal restraint, and quality-of-life concerns.
Cockey’s messaging has focused on:
- Student safety and school resource officers
- Slowing growth to match infrastructure
- Making Howard County a regional health-care employment hub
- Keeping taxes down and promoting affordable homeownership
Deb Jung
Deb Jung, a current Howard County Council member representing District 4, filed on September 16, 2025. Jung is running as a reform-minded progressive emphasizing transparency, grassroots engagement, and small-donor democracy. She is participating in Howard County’s Citizens’ Election Fund, which provides public matching funds to candidates who agree to strict donation limits.
Jung has highlighted:
- Public financing to reduce “pay-to-play” politics
- Civic engagement and constituent-focused governance
- Affordability and equity in a diverse county
- A council-level record of budget and policy oversight
Liz Walsh
Liz Walsh, the current County Council chair representing District 1 (Ellicott City), filed on January 29, 2026 and has qualified for public financing through the Citizens’ Election Fund. Walsh has built a reputation as a growth skeptic and zoning watchdog, often clashing with developers and county leadership over land-use decisions.
Her campaign emphasizes:
- Controlled growth and environmental preservation
- Flood mitigation and watershed protection
- Opposition to overdevelopment in historic areas
- Strengthening government oversight and accountability
Walsh’s candidacy has also been shaped by controversy. In January 2026, she posted a social-media warning about what she believed was Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Columbia—later confirmed by the Howard County Police Department to be a local undercover operation targeting child predators. Law-enforcement leaders criticized the post as irresponsible, while Walsh defended it as a community safety alert. The incident has raised questions among some voters about judgment and executive-level decision-making.
The Atterbeary Factor: A Major Presence, Not Yet Filed
Beyond the official filings, one name looms especially large: Vanessa Atterbeary.
Atterbeary, a former Maryland House Delegate and past chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced her candidacy in late 2025 and resigned her House seat effective January 14, 2026 to focus on the race. As of the end of January, she had not yet appeared on the Board of Elections’ official filer list, but she is actively campaigning and widely regarded as a top-tier contender.
Her advantages are substantial:
- Statewide legislative experience
- Deep familiarity with education, budget, and public-safety policy
- More than $600,000 cash on hand in early finance reports
- A traditional fundraising model unconstrained by public-financing caps
Atterbeary’s early financial dominance has fueled debate within Democratic circles over “big money” versus public-financing models. Supporters argue her experience and resources position her to govern effectively from day one; critics worry about donor influence and continuity with Annapolis-style politics.
Who’s Out—and Why It Matters
Former Delegate Jessica Feldmark, once considered a serious contender, withdrew from the race in December 2025 after a breast-cancer diagnosis and is instead seeking reelection to her House seat. Her exit reshaped the field and consolidated attention on the remaining candidates.
A Democratic County, but Not a Monolith
Howard County’s Democratic tilt does not mean ideological uniformity. The primary has become a proxy battle over deeper questions:
- Growth versus preservation
- Public financing versus traditional fundraising
- Progressive activism versus technocratic governance
- Local council experience versus state-level leadership
- Caution in public safety communications versus activist responsiveness
While all candidates broadly support strong public schools, economic opportunity, and community safety, their approaches—and rhetoric—differ markedly.
For center-right and independent voters, the lack of a filed Republican candidate (so far) underscores a familiar challenge: meaningful policy choices may be decided inside a single party primary, months before the general election.
Calvin Ball’s Shadow—and the Road Ahead
Calvin Ball III leaves office with a mixed but consequential legacy. Supporters credit his administration with expanded school funding, falling crime rates, national innovation awards, and historic representation. Critics point to ethics concerns, sanctuary-style immigration policies, and governance decisions they view as ideologically driven.
Whoever wins in 2026 will inherit both Ball’s achievements and his unresolved debates—on growth, affordability, public safety, and trust in county government.
With the filing deadline approaching and campaigns accelerating, Howard County voters should expect sharper contrasts, more scrutiny, and higher stakes as the primary nears. For now, the race remains fluid—but one thing is clear: the next County Executive will be chosen not by incumbency, but by a defining choice about the county’s future direction.
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