What’s the job: The chief executive in Maryland’s largest counties. The executive proposes the county budget and oversees services and agencies, such as police, public works, and planning and development. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Vanessa Atterbeary

Vanessa Atterbeary.
Vanessa Atterbeary. (Vanessa Atterbeary campaign)

Age: 51

Personal: Married, three children.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, government, College of William and Mary; juris doctor, Villanova University School of Law.

Experience: Member, Maryland House of Delegates, District 13 (2015-2026); chair, Ways and Means Committee (2021-2026); vice chair, Judiciary Committee (2019-2021); general counsel, KRA Corp. (2009-present).

Questionnaire

Name: Bob Cockey

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Name: Deb Jung

Deb Jung.
Deb Jung. (Sugar Farm Productions)

Age: 69

Personal: Married, one adult daughter.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, political science, Duke University; juris doctor, University of Maryland School of Law.

Experience: Member, Howard County Council (eight years); county council chair (two years); attorney in the non-profit sector (25 years); co-chair, Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission; co-chair, Howard County Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee.

Questionnaire

Name: Liz Walsh

Liz Walsh.
Liz Walsh. (Crystal Tseng Portraits)

Age: 55

Personal: Two children, a son and daughter.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, civil engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology; juris doctor, Georgetown University Law Center.

Experience: Member, Howard County Council, District 1 (2018-present), including chair, (2020-2021, 2024-2025) and vice-chair (2019-2020, 2023-2024); chair, Howard County Zoning Board (2018-2020, 2022-2025); attorney at several firms over 20 years.

Questionnaire