Press Release: AFSCME Maryland Announces 2026 Endorsements Ahead of Primary Election
State’s largest union for city, county, and state employees announces slate of “Public Service Champions” for 2026
Baltimore — On Wednesday, May 6, AFSCME Maryland Council 3 announced endorsements for offices across the state ahead of this year’s primary elections. The full list of endorsements can be found here.
A livestream of the press conference can be found here.
The final endorsements that make up this slate of “Public Service Champions” were voted on by AFSCME Maryland Council 3’s executive board on Friday, May 1, 2026. AFSCME Maryland convened regional committees of member leaders from across Maryland to decide on these endorsements. Committee members reviewed candidate answers to questionnaires and interviewed candidates. AFSCME members also took into account candidates’ current and past records.
These endorsements were primarily based on a candidate's commitment to supporting working people, their record of supporting AFSCME members and union organizing, and the viability of their candidacy.
“Every single day, AFSCME members are facing impossible workloads, dangerously low staffing levels, and inadequate resources — risking their lives to provide the services our communities rely on. Now more than ever, our communities need leaders who understand how vital our public services are and how important it is to look out for those who make these services happen. We are excited to support our endorsed candidates,” said Patrick Moran, AFSCME Maryland Council 3 President.
"I am honored by the support and trust AFSCME has in our campaign. I am focused on fighting for our working families and am excited to work alongside AFSCME and its members to better serve Howard County families. Too many of our essential employees cannot afford to live in the county they serve or are working in understaffed and underfunded departments. As County Executive, I will ensure that we support our civil servants who ensure that the county services residents depend on function," said Vanessa Atterbeary, candidate for Howard County Executive.
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of AFSCME Maryland Council 3. Their members understand firsthand the importance of investing in public services and the workforce that delivers them. As County Executive, I will continue to strengthen my partnership with our county workforce and ensure the competitive wages, safe working conditions, and good benefits that strengthen both our employees and the services our residents rely on,” said Allison Pickard, candidate for Anne Arundel County Executive.
“I don’t take this endorsement for granted... As your next county council member for Prince George’s County, I promise to be a Public Service Champion... I will always protect collective bargaining rights, I will always demand fair treatment, and I will always ask that you have dignity on the job because it’s the right thing to do. I look forward to getting to work to get this done,” said Michelle García, candidate for Prince George’s County Council District 1.
“What this endorsement means to me is pretty simple. Working people on the Eastern Shore deserve leaders who will fight for them. We are watching the rights of our Salisbury workers come under attack. We are watching collective bargaining be stripped away from the very people keeping our communities running every single day... These are the people who make our community — not the buildings, not the budgets, but public workers,” said Megan Outten, candidate for Wicomico County Council District 7.
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About AFSCME Maryland Council 3
AFSCME Maryland Council 3 represents over 55,000 public service workers in local, city, county and state government as well as in higher education and the private sector who provide the valuable public services that our communities rely on. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, we make Maryland happen.