MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Board of Elections certified the results of the June 23 primary election at a meeting held on July 8, 2026. This certification followed a review and verification of mail-in ballots, which was completed on July 7, 2026.

In the Democratic primary for county executive, Will Jawando secured the nomination, receiving 40% of the vote. Jawando, an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council, declared victory on June 26, 2026. Andrew Friedson, who received 34% of the vote in the same primary, conceded the election on June 28, 2026. Jawando is set to face Republican Esther Wells in the general election in November 2026.

For the at-large council race, Democrats Marc Elrich, Scott Evan Goldberg, Laurie-Anne Sayles, and Karla Silvestre advanced to the November 3 ballot. Republican Sherwin Wells also advanced to the November 3 ballot for an at-large council seat. Voters will select four candidates to serve on the nine-member Montgomery County Council in the general election.

Karla Silvestre declared victory in a statement posted on social media on July 7, 2026. The margin between Silvestre, who finished in fourth place, and fifth-place candidate Fatmata Barrie in the at-large council primary was 0.26%. A total of 161,146 ballots were cast in the primary election, with more than 22% of eligible voters participating.

Why It Matters

The certification of the primary election results by the Montgomery County Board of Elections formalizes the slate of candidates who will appear on the November 2026 general election ballot. This process confirms the outcomes of key races, including the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County executive, and sets the stage for the general election wherein voters will choose leadership for the county.

These results also determined the candidates for the at-large seats on the Montgomery County Council, an elected body responsible for local governance. The close margin in one of the at-large council races highlights the competitiveness of the primaries and the defined field of candidates moving forward to the general election.