Prince George’s County Council At-Large

What’s the job: The legislative branch of Maryland’s county governments. Responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, approving county spending and providing oversight of county operations. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Sean A. Floyd

Age: 42

Personal: Longtime Prince George’s County resident.

Education: Bachelor’ degree, St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Experience: Vice chair, Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; manager, National Programs & Outreach and Unity Campaign, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; director of external affairs, D.C. public charter school network; chief of staff to senior adviser and director of scheduling for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?

Name: Laura S. Gilchrest

Age: 41

Personal: Educator, mother and activist.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, political science and Spanish, University of North Texas; master’s degree, anthropology, American University; master’s degree, international studies, DePaul University; PhD, anthropology, American University.

Experience: Professorial lecturer, human rights and ethics, George Washington University; teacher’s aide, substitute and volunteer, Silver Oaks Cooperative School; past professorial lecturer, multiple subjects at various universities.

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?

Name: Sydney Harrison

Age: 51

Personal: Single, with an adult son.

Education: Graduate, Fredrick Douglass High School; graduate, Leadership Greater Washington, plumbing internship program.

Experience: Member, Prince George’s County Council, District 9 (2018-present); clerk of the Circuit Court (2014-2018).

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?

Name: Jolene Ivey

Age: 65

Personal: Married, husband Glenn, five sons, one stepdaughter, three grandchildren and another due in July.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, mass communication, Towson University; master’s degree, journalism, University of Maryland.

Experience: Member, Prince George’s County Council, at-large (2024-present) and for District 5 (2018-2024), including as council chair (2023); member, Maryland House of Delegates (2007-2015), including chair of the Prince George’s County House Delegation during final term.

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?

Name: Jeana Jacobs

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

Name: Jennifer Rios

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

Name: Keith Washington

Age: 65

Personal: Married, two daughters.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, social sciences, Northwestern State University; attended Johns Hopkins University for master’s program in public administration.

Experience: U.S. Army, retired lieutenant colonel, airborne infantry paratrooper, 20 years; Prince George’s County Police Department, 17 years; former deputy director, Prince George’s County Homeland Security; real estate business owner, 30 years.

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?

Name: Noah Emmanuel Waters

Age: 69

Personal: Married, wife Linda, five children.

Education: Attended Frostburg State College and Bowie State College; bachelor’s degree, University of Maryland University College; master’s degree, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; PhD, North Central University.

Experience: Part-time police dispatcher at Prince George’s Community College (current); retired Prince George’s County police officer; former Pocomoke City police officer.

Questionnaire

Q: As a council member, what will be your primary focus to help improve the lives of Prince George’s County residents?

Q: The county faces competing fiscal pressures, especially when it comes to funding county public schools. What should the county’s funding commitment to the school system look like?

Q: Prince George’s County has made major investments in its schools, yet academic outcomes have remained a persistent challenge. How would you hold the school system accountable?

Q: With tens of thousands of county residents employed by the federal government, how should the county work to diversify its economy and support residents affected by federal layoffs?

Q: The county council recently passed legislation to limit ICE activity in county spaces. Do you support this approach? What more should the county do to protect immigrant residents?

Q: The county has convened a task force on data center development. How should the council use that work to shape future development decisions?

Q: Do data centers have a role to play in the county’s economic development?

Q: Housing costs continue to strain residents across the county. What specific policies would you champion on the council to increase the supply of affordable housing?