2026 Primary Election Results Certified
The results for the Maryland 2026 primary have been certified, with Maryland reporting lower-than-usual voting turnout, with a turnout of about 17%, compared to the 27% turnout in 2024.
In Prince George’s County, the decline was less significant, with 24.53% turnout, compared to 25.23% during the 2024 presidential primary.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) secured more than 88% of the vote statewide, with nearly 94% of Prince George’s Democrats voting in favor of his re-election. He will be facing former Republican Del. Dan Cox in a rematch of the 2022 gubernatorial election. Moore more than doubled Cox’s vote share in the previous election.
Del. Adrian Boafo (D-District 23) secured roughly 33% of the vote in the crowded primary election to replace longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who served as a mentor for the politician and endorsed his candidacy.
“At first glance it might not seem obvious, but our stories are actually very similar,” Boafo said of his mentor in his victory speech. “Steny and I are both the sons of immigrants. We grew up believing in an America that drew our parents across the sea.”
Three New Council Members, Changes Countywide
All of the non-term-limited incumbent members of the Prince George’s County Council won their primaries, including appointed members Councilmembers Tim Adams (D-District 4) and Danielle Hunter (D-District 6).
Michelle Garcia (D-District 1), Victor Ramirez (D-District 2), and Tamara Davis Brown (D-District 9) will be joining the council, while Councilmember Sydney Harrison (D-District 9) will be moving to an at-large seat. Harrison defeated former Board of Education chair Jeana Jacobs by roughly 800 votes in the countywide election.
Law student Kayla Bryant was leading in the race for register of wills on Election Night, but former Board of Education member and Bladensburg councilmember Jocelyn Route eventually won the election by roughly 4,400 votes as mail-in ballots were counted.
“I am interested in bringing the register of wills office to the community,” Route said in an interview with the Banner. “I envision some type of mobile unit that we can use to go into communities, because there are transportation issues. There are people who just can’t get down to the courthouse.”
Qiana Johnson will serve as the next clerk of court for Prince George’s, defeating incumbent Mahasin El Amin by a margin of roughly 2,200 votes.
Johnson has served as a nonprofit leader since 2017, focusing on re-entry and returning citizens following her 2015 sentencing for theft and conspiracy.
“The voters have entrusted me with leading one of the most important offices in our justice system, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly,” Johnson told The Informer. “This election wasn’t just about changing leadership, it was about restoring public trust and making the Clerk’s Office a model of accountability and service.”
As she tackles this new role, Johnson shared her goals for the future.
“My vision is to build a Clerk’s Office that is transparent, efficient, and accessible to every resident of Prince George’s County,” she said. “I want to modernize operations, strengthen customer service, invest in our employees, and ensure that every person who walks through our doors is treated with dignity and respect.”
In deep-blue Prince George’s, the only competitive local elections will be the Board of Education races.
Terrence Clegg will face off against Caroline Decaire-Goldin in the District 2 Board of Education race while Ericka K. Bennett and Chandrai Jackson-Saunders will compete for the District 9 Board of Education seat.
In District 3, the Board of Education candidates will be Juan Arango-Millan and Jamie McGonnigal and in District 6, Ashley Kearney and Tyra Bennett. As both races had only two candidates, they were not on the primary election ballot.
Courtney Finklea Green, the president of the South County Democratic Club and former public school teacher, emphasizes education as a tool of uplift. She also served on Sen. Angela Alsobrooks’s education task force during Alsobrooks’ time as Prince George’s County Executive.
“Education is the strongest investment a community can make in its future,” she told The Informer. “Prince George’s County deserves schools that prioritize academic excellence, safe learning environments and equitable access, so every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
