As votes were being counted Tuesday night, it became clear Montgomery County was on track for a new sheriff.
Challenger Will Milam led incumbent Maxwell Uy in a contentious sheriff’s race in which the union representing sheriff’s deputies endorsed Milam.
Milam, 44, of Poolesville, is poised to lead the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, which has more than 125 deputies and a budget of about $33 million. He retired in February 2025 as second in command at the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office.
Milam told The Banner Tuesday night he was encouraged by the initial vote tally but was waiting for final results before declaring victory.
“I’m still waiting for all the numbers to come in. Call me superstitious,” he said. “I’m deeply grateful to the voters of Montgomery County to place what appears to be their trust in me. I hesitate to say more than that until all the votes have been counted.”
Uy told The Banner in a text message late Tuesday night that he conceded to Milam: “I have now congratulated Will on his apparent victory and have posted on [Facebook] accordingly.”
Uy said he’s proud of his tenure as sheriff. “I made a positive difference,” he said. “We led in extremely challenging times.”
The union criticized Uy’s handling of a shortfall of about 30 deputies last year and alleged that he created a toxic work environment. Uy, 53, of Clarksburg, told The Banner last week that he was able to reduce staffing vacancies in the office — including both deputies and civilian employees — to about 5% of the workforce.
UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, the union that represents sheriff’s deputies and civilian employees at the sheriff’s office, last year declared a vote of no confidence in Uy’s leadership.
Gino Renne, president of the union, said he had no personal issues with Uy but charged that the sheriff presided over a culture of “fear and dysfunction” during his one term.
Uy brushed off that criticism and said that while he was supportive of labor unions, sometimes the union’s goals did not align with what was best for the department or the community.
The sheriff’s office in Montgomery County is the law enforcement arm of its judicial system. It oversees holding cells at the circuit court and district court in Rockville and at a district court in Silver Spring.
Sheriff’s deputies transport inmates to and from court and protect judges and others in the courtroom. The office is also tasked with responding to domestic violence orders, child support orders and red-flag court orders, and serving evictions.
Uy, who was elected in 2022 as Montgomery County’s first Asian American sheriff, was hired as a deputy sheriff in the county in 1994. He pointed to his more than three decades in the sheriff’s office as a strong reason for voters to reelect him.
Milam said during the campaign that he wanted deputies to respond to 911 domestic violence calls and mental health emergencies. Neither is a focus of deputies’ jobs.
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