Democrat
Gabe Albornoz
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Kensington
Date of birth: March 22, 1976
Current occupation and employer:
President, Montgomery County Council (At-Large); director, Montgomery County Department of Recreation (appointed by County Executive Ike Leggett); deputy director, Latin American Youth Center
Political experience:
Elected chair, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (2012-2014 – first Latino to hold this position); elected to the Montgomery County Council, At-Large (2018-present)
Website: https://gabealbornoz.com/
Email: gabe@gabealbornoz.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GabeAlbornoz1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabeAlbornoz1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabealbornoz1/
Why are you running for this office?
As a lifelong resident, I love Montgomery County. I believe that elected office is a noble profession that provides a clear opportunity to impact social change and serve as a bridge between communities. Although I could never have imagined the immense challenges of guiding the county through a pandemic as chair of the council’s Health and Human Services Committee, I feel that I gained an even deeper appreciation of how local government touches people’s lives.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
I am committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents and maintaining a high quality of life for all. The pandemic has exacerbated the inequities within our county, widened the achievement and opportunity gap among our youth, and disproportionately impacted our communities of color. We must build on the systems created during the pandemic to shore up our safety net services, tackle food insecurity and end childhood hunger, deliver culturally competent programs, strengthen mental health services for our youth and caretakers, and ensure our seniors and disabled residents have access to resources. We all succeed, when we all succeed.
What is one criticism you have received while in office and what is your response?
An issue that drew criticism from some was the implementation of mask mandates during the pandemic. We as a council followed the guidance of national and local public health officials, who consistently recommended masks to mitigate community spread especially when vaccines were not yet readily available. The use of masks helped ease our county’s transition back to safe and responsible social activities and protected those most at risk to a virus that tragically killed over 1 million Americans. As variants emerge, I am committed to following the data and adapting our policies to reflect the current environment.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
Since 2018, I have served our county’s 1.1 million residents as an at-large County Council member. My time as recreation director in Leggett’s administration enabled me to quickly step into leadership roles as chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, and now as council president. I have dedicated over 23 years to advocating for youth, seniors, and other vulnerable residents. I am a former student of MCPS, MBA graduate, Leadership Montgomery alumnus, and the son of Latino immigrants. I am proud of my service record and believe we need trusted and experienced leadership to move the country forward.
Evan Glass
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Silver Spring
Date of birth: Jan. 30, 1977
Current occupation and employer:
Vice president, Montgomery County Council
Former CNN journalist
Former nonprofit executive director
Political experience:
At-large council member, 2018 – current
Candidate for council District 5 in 2014
Website: https://evanglass.com
Email: info@evanglass.com
Facebook: EvanMGlass
Twitter: @EvanMGlass
Instagram: @EvanMGlass
Why are you running for this office?
I’m proud of my work to make our community a more fair, equitable and welcoming place for everyone. From passing pay equity legislation and supporting public transportation, to protecting our environment and encouraging new businesses to open here, I’ve been working hard to make Montgomery County an even better place to live, work and play.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
My top priority for a second term is providing for the health and safety of all Montgomery County residents. The pandemic exposed the gaps in medical access within our community, and I’m committed to strengthening our local healthcare network and social safety net to ensure that everyone has the ability to live healthy and productive lives.
What is one criticism you have received while in office and what is your response?
I have often been told that I ask too many questions. As a former CNN journalist, asking pointed questions and holding people accountable is in my nature. The reason I ask tough questions because I want to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and that residents receive the high-quality services they deserve. We must demand transparency and accountability in our local government.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I have the honor of currently serving as vice president of the council. My colleagues elected me to this position because of my ability to work with diverse stakeholders to find common ground in policies that make meaningful progress. The next council will grow from nine members to 11, bringing more diversity of thoughts and opinions, and I am well prepared to bring us together so we can better serve the residents of Montgomery County.
Will Jawando
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Ashton, MD
Date of birth: Jan. 2, 1982
Current occupation and employer:
Montgomery County Council member at-large
Political experience:
Maryland House of Delegates, District 20 Democratic, 2014
Congress in Maryland’s 8th district, 2016
Website: https://willjawando.com/
Email: info@willjawando.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willjawando
Twitter: https://twitter.com/willjawando
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willjawando
Why are you running for this office?
My wife, Michele, and I chose to raise our children in Montgomery County, because we are counting on Montgomery County to remain a safe, thriving and diverse community full of opportunity. We have made progress during the last three years, but we have also seen disparities made worse by the pandemic.
My priorities include: increasing the number of affordable and middle income housing units in the county, addressing challenges in our education system, finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and preparing for emergencies related to climate change. I am running for re-election to continue to extend Montgomery County’s unique promise to all of our citizens.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
The most important issue for the residents of Montgomery County is addressing the affordable housing crisis and making sure everyday people can earn a living wage that allows them to afford to live in Montgomery County. We must do everything we can to address the housing crisis, meaning we use every tool available including: leveraging all county owned land to build more affordable housing, ask our development community to contribute more, allow greater opportunities for building housing especially near transit, and allow some building of smaller units like duplexes in areas previously only zoned for single family housing. We also need to put in place anti-rent gouging protections so that renters can have reasonable and affordable increases. We should also consider new innovative opportunities and special tax credits for workforce housing- housing for teachers, healthcare workers, public safety, and childcare workers. The increase to $15 an hour was passed before my time on the council.
What is one criticism you have received while in office and what is your response?
During my first term in office I have been a leader on police reform, which has drawn criticism from some quarters. Increasing transparency and accountability, while supporting our public safety officers, seems a common sense approach to police reform. We require officers to protect our community, but we cannot ignore the results of disproportionate outcomes that impact our Black and brown residents. I support expanding officer training, increasing pay, and removing certain types of responsibilities we have pushed onto police such as responding to mental health incidents or homelessness. We need a more focused, better trained, better compensated force that focuses on violent crime. We can and should support law enforcement while expecting transparency and accountability, because these concepts are not mutually exclusive.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I am an at-large member of the council serving on the Planning, Housing & Economic Development and the Education and Culture Committees. I am a civil rights lawyer and former Obama White House staff member. I received my bachelors and law degrees from Catholic University. I was born and raised in Montgomery County, growing up in Silver Spring, and after college and law school returning to the county to raise my family. I worked for Discovery Communications and I am a father of four with students in MCPS. I have worked closely with our non-profit community, our social justice advocates, and with entities like WorkSource Montgomery and other organizations focused on moving Montgomery County forward. I believe together we can continue to make Montgomery County a better place for all of our residents.
Laurie-Anne Sayles
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Gaithersburg
Date of birth: Aug. 13, 1981
Current occupation and employer:
Senior project manager, Food & Drug Administration, 4/2019-3/2022
Substitute teacher/paraeducator, MCPS, 1/2018-5/2021
Communications consultant/special assistant, The Nature Conservancy, Mid-Atlantic Region, 7/2017-2/2018
Political experience:
Council member, City of Gaithersburg, 11/2017-11/2021
Candidate, City of Gaithersburg, 2015 – unsuccessful
Candidate, House of Delegates, 2014 – unsuccessful
Website: https://www.laurieannesayles.org/
Email: info@laurieannesayles.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaylesforMoCo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieASayles
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Sayles4moco/
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running for council at-large to bring S.M.A.R.T. government to Montgomery County. S.M.A.R.T. government is my acronym for the policies to position our economy for future success.
Strengthening 21st-century learning from cradle to career and beyond;
Making a living in Montgomery County more affordable;
Advancing local food production in the Ag Reserve;
Recovering from the pandemic while revitalizing the economy; and
Tackling climate change through multi-modal transportation solutions
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
Representation matters. Montgomery County has the most diverse population in our state, but we are not diverse in representation. Currently, there is only one woman out of nine Councilmembers. There has never been an upcounty resident elected to an at-large seat. There has never been a woman of color elected to an at-large seat. Why is this important? Because when a community celebrates its diversity in representation and population, it draws on the knowledge, talents, and experiences of its diverse population. The county council needs more upcounty representation and qualified women ready to lead and serve on day one.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Voters point to the County Council’s ability to work together for the benefit of the citizens of Montgomery County as a significant issue. The power of the County Council to fully engage our diverse population is essential. I am a consensus builder, forward-thinking, progressive public servant, and a publicly financed candidate with a track record of success. As a council member, I will be a fierce advocate and an active listener to craft policy that ensures equitable outcomes for our residents and economy. I’ll expand programs that work and apply tangible measurements to monitor, evaluate, and abandon those that no longer work.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I am an experienced leader, change agent, policymaker, and advocate who believes that you can achieve any goal you set for yourself if you work smart. Elected in 2017, making history as the first African American council member elected in Gaithersburg, I hit the ground running. I have fought for affordable housing, expanded access to early childhood education, a $15 minimum wage, equal rights, immigration reform, and a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment. I have overcome challenging situations and used my experiences to fuel a steadfast commitment to helping others who are underserved, underrepresented, and less fortunate reach self-sufficiency.
Republican
Chris P. Fiotes Jr.
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Republican
Where you live: Gaithersburg
Date of birth: Dec. 12, 1933
Current occupation and employer:
Commercial real estate broker
Political experience:
I have not held elected office. However, I worked in the U.S. Senate for over 10 years. I ran for Montgomery County Council at-large in 2014 and 2018.
Email: cfiotes@comcast.net
Why are you running for this office?
I want to ensure that Montgomery County is ready to address the challenges of the future and remain a place where families and business can thrive.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
We need good economic leadership. Fiscal responsibility is key to future success in Montgomery County. We need to focus on lowering taxes and controlling spending so we can continue investing in the things that matter to our citizens.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Poor oversight of county infrastructure projects such as the Silver Spring Transit Center led to budget overruns and delays that cost the citizens of Montgomery County time and money. I would ensure that experienced professionals are overseeing these projects.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I’ve owned and operated my own businesses for most of my life, and have experience in zoning, construction and capital investments. I also worked in the U.S. Senate, where I gained a thorough understanding of legislation and budget formulation.
Lenard Lieber
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Republican
Where you live: Gaithersburg
Date of birth: Feb. 6, 1968
Current occupation and employer:
Retired, previously worked at Montgomery College for 32 years.
Political experience:
None
Website: https://www.lenardlieber.com/
Email: lenardlieber@outlook.com
Facebook: Lenard Lieber
Twitter: @purplepursuer
Why are you running for this office?
The council’s disastrous and neurotic response to covid, such as pushing a known flawed medical treatment that doesn’t prevent spread, and on the flip side treating healthy people as Typhoid Mary types.
To remove the hindrance of the MoCo government to real economic well being.
To ensure that the police are truly being used to protect person, property and the peace.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
An insular council and executive that pat themselves on the back while having presided over the decline of the county, the school system, the desirability of being a destination for business, and a police force that is told to back off pursing complaints if it might impact minority groups.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Allowing MCPS to conduct so called virtual learning that severely impacted those in the lower economic spectrum, this while in Europe it was demonstrated that the schools could be kept open with little to no impact on the number of covid cases. This is not a matter of curriculum, but actual access to learning, making it a clear council matter, not something under the Board of Education purview.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
Many years of clear, skeptical, reasoned analysis of what government is supposed to be and what it is not to be. Unlike too many who see government as an instrument to bring about their projects, their shaping of society, I understand the rightful role of government as a disinterested referee, not picking winners and losers.
Dwight Patel
What office are you running for? County Council
Political party: Republican
Where you live: Montgomery County
Date of birth: July 30, 1972
Current occupation and employer:
IT project manager
Political experience:
I have run for Maryland State Senate twice (2010 and 2018) and the House of Delegates (1994)
Website: https://www.dwightformoco.com
Email: info@dwightformoco.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DwightforMOCO/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwightformoco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwightformoco/
Why are you running for this office?
I am running to fix the problems in Montgomery County
– Kids-first education
– Road and highway funding
– Public safety
– Lower taxes
– Help businesses succeed
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
Quality of life in Montgomery County
– Inflation/high price of gas
– Traffic congestion
– Education
– Public safety
– Property tax relief
– New business development
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Transportation. Montgomery County Council has offered no substantive solutions to our traffic woes. The council’s only solution is buses and bike lanes. We need to look at inner chain improvements and make use of overpasses and underpasses where available. Add Hot Lanes, make use of reversible lanes, modernize the synchronization of traffic lights, make use of roundabouts where possible, and connect local roads to offer multiple routes, rather than forcing local traffic onto the interstates and other major highways.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I have managed many projects over the years. My experience working with many different players on projects and bridging all sides to come up with a coherent solution. This would lend itself well to working with the current county council. I am a natural problem solver, and a problem solver is what the county needs, not a problem creator.
