How partisan politics shape Baltimore County’s nonpartisan school board race

Using the word “nonpartisan” to describe Maryland school board elections is a formality at this point.

Voters won’t see a “D” or “R” next to candidates’ names on the ballot, but party affiliation has become more visible in these races since the pandemic, when wearing a mask in class created a partisan divide.

Now local partisan groups get involved in candidates’ campaigns and donations. And politicians often endorse school board candidates that belong to their party.

Even votes at school board meetings are sometimes split along party lines. During a February vote to approve the school system’s $2.5 billion budget, four example, the four who opposed were either registered Republicans or not affiliated with a political party, state records show.

Here’s what to know about the political backgrounds of Baltimore County school board candidates in contested races:

District 1

Arbutus, Catonsville and Windsor Mill

Candice Logan-Washington

Registered to vote as: Democrat

Endorsements: Del. Aletheia McCaskill, a Baltimore County Democrat; Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club; Del. Eric Ebersole, a Baltimore County Democrat; Sen. Charles E. Sydnor III, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Eric Ebersole, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Sheila Ruth, a Baltimore County Democrat; Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones, a Democrat and candidate for county executive; The Sierra Club

Campaign contributions: Del. Sheila Ruth, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Eric Ebersole, a Baltimore County Democrat

In her words: Logan-Washington said politics impacts “every facet of our lives.” She said she plans to serve Baltimore County in a bipartisan manner that puts students at the center and is willing to work with anyone who shares her commitment to what’s best for students.

“My Democrat values are my values,” she said. “But I have to work on behalf of all students.”

Lisa A. Mack

Registered to vote as: Democrat

Endorsements: Maryland State Education Association; Julie Henn, a Baltimore County school board member

Campaign contributions: Mack was not required to submit a detailed finance report since she did not spend or receive $1,000 or more.

In her words: “I don’t assess anything that impacts education through the lens of politics,” Mack said. “I asses it through the lens: ‘Is this the right thing to do for children?’”

Mack said the current school board has “a ton” of attempted political interference from both sides of the aisle, though she focuses on board members’ voting records.

“There might be somebody on a board who is a different party than I am, but as long as the person votes for children, I don’t really care about the rest,” she said.

District 3

Cockeysville, Hereford and Timonium

Maggie Litz Domanowski

Registered to vote as: Republican

Endorsements: Kathleen Causey, a former Baltimore County school board member; Julie Henn, a Baltimore County school board member; David Marks, a Republican Baltimore County councilman; Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Baltimore County Republican; Del. Ryan Nawrocki, a Baltimore County Republican; Nino Mangione, a Republican Baltimore County councilman; 1776 Project Pac, a national conservative group

Campaign contributions: The campaign of Del. Ryan Nawrocki; The campaign of Del. Kathy Szeliga. 1776 Project PAC also paid for mailers and robocalls in support of Domanowski’s campaign.

In her words: “When I come down and sit at the board table, I don’t bring my politics,” Domanowski said.

She said she doesn’t always make decisions that align with her party, she doesn’t rely on politicians for guidance on education-related decisions and her focus is on students.

“I just wish we’d stop judging each other by our politics and start judging each other on our actions and what we do,” she said.

Kelli Slattery McClelland

Registered to vote as: Democrat

Endorsements: Maryland State Education Association; Gov. Wes Moore; Rep. Johnny Olszewski, a Democratic congressman; Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones, a Democrat and candidate for county executive; Vote Mama PAC, a Democratic group; Maryland National Organization for Women PAC; Sierra Club

Campaign contributions: Sen. Shelly Hettleman, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Michele Guyton, a Baltimore County Democrat; Sarah David, Democratic candidate for Baltimore County state’s attorney: Del. Sheila Ruth, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Cathi Forbes, a Baltimore County Democrat; the campaign of Del. Nicholas Allen, a Baltimore County Democrat; Jane Lichter, a Baltimore County school board member.

In her words: McClelland said her “deeply held” core values, which include her belief in a school system that’s fully equipped to meet every student’s needs, would impact her decisions as a board member if elected.

“Anytime a person is sort of saying that their personal ideology doesn’t influence their decisions and their actions, is a person who’s maybe not super connected with their core values,” she said.

She said her work as a board member wouldn’t end when she leaves the dais and will continue through her interactions with constituents every day.

District 6

Parkville, Overlea and parts of Towson

Darren M. Badillo

Registered to vote as: Republican

Endorsements: Pat McDonough, former Republican Maryland delegate

Campaign contributions: No elected officials or political action committees contributed to this campaign, records show.

In his words: Badillo said he tends to lean more Republican, but voters should focus more on a candidate’s character, judgment, willingness to listen and “ability to make decision that improve education outcomes.”

He said he can communicate with both Democrats and Republicans but did not seek out endorsements.

“My main focus has been knocking on doors and getting in front of residents here in Baltimore County and just listening to their concerns, so when I get in office, I can attack those concerns right away,” he said.

Christina Pumphrey

Registered to vote as: Democrat

Endorsements: Maryland State Education Association; Julie Henn, a Baltimore County school board member; Sen. Carl Jackson, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Harry Bhandari, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Nick Allen, a Baltimore County Democrat; Del. Kim Ross, Baltimore County Democrat; Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club; Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County

Campaign contributions: Peter Fitzpatrick, a Baltimore County school board member; the campaign of Rep. Johnny Olzewski, a Democratic congressman; Jane Lichter, a Baltimore County school board member; the campaign of Del. Cathi Forbes, a Baltimore County Democrat.

In her words: Pumphrey did not respond to interview requests. She introduced a resolution last spring to support immigrant students’ right to come to school without fear or intimidation, a stance aligned with the Democratic Party.

District 7

Edgemere, Essex and Dundalk

Rod McMillion

Registered to vote as: Unaffiliated

Endorsements: Baltimore County school board members Maggie Litz Domanowski and Julie Henn.

Campaign contributions: McMillion has $0.25 in his campaign bank account, state records show.

In his words: “There’s enough nonsense going on without board members or candidates feeling pressure doing what their party wants them to do,” he said.

McMillion said a politician who once donated to his campaign expected him to vote the way the politician wanted, but McMillion didn’t. The board member said the school board should be nonpartisan, like it was created to be.

Stacy L. McNish

Registered to vote as: Democrat

Endorsements: Maryland National Organization for Women; Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club; Progressive Maryland

Campaign contributions: No elected officials or political action committees contributed to this campaign, state records show.

In her words: McNish did not respond to interview requests.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.