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: Jud Ashman

Jud Ashman.
Jud Ashman. (Friends of Jud Ashman)

Age: 55

Personal: Married, two adult children, two grandchildren.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, journalism and political science, University of Miami; master’s degree, accounting and financial management, University of Maryland Global Campus.

Experience: Mayor of Gaithersburg (2014-present); founder and chair, Gaithersburg Book Festival (2009-present); member, Gaithersburg City Council (2007-2014); cluster coordinator, Quince Orchard Cluster of PTAs (2005-2007); president & owner, Web Mobile Image LLC (2012-present).

Questionnaire

Name: Allison Eriksen

Allison Eriksen.
Allison Eriksen. (Ginny Filer Photography)

Age: 40

Personal: Married, Gaithersburg resident.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, sociology, University of California, Davis; master’s degree, international development; American University.

Experience: Eight years at USAID (from program assistant to senior humanitarian assistance officer); four years educational nonprofit experience.

Questionnaire

Name: Izola Shaw

Izola Shaw.
Izola Shaw. (Paul Cole)

Age: 46

Personal: Experiencing housing injustice firsthand fuels my fight for affordable housing and lasting community stability.

Education: Bachelor’ degree, history and political science, Howard University; master’s degree, economics, Johns Hopkins University; coursework in political science at University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and in intensive French, Langue Onze, Paris.

Experience: Member, Rockville City Council; member, Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission; subcommittee chair, Rockville Charter Review Commission; 15 years at FEMA advising local governments on disaster preparedness; six years at NIH during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Questionnaire

Republican

Name: Ricky Fai Mui

Ricky Fai Mui
Ricky Fai Mui. (Courtesy of Ricky Fai Mui)

Age: 47

Personal: Married, two children.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, weapons and systems engineering, U.S. Naval Academy; master’s degree, information warfare systems engineering, Naval Postgraduate School; MBA, Emory University Goizueta Business School; doctoral candidate, business administration, American Meridian University.

Experience: Federal contractor; management consulting services; Frito Lay manufacturing and logistics: surface warfare officer, U.S. Navy; chair, Rockville Human Services Advisory Commission.

Questionnaire