To create this voter guide, The Banner compiled a list of candidates running for office in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

We contacted candidates at the email their campaigns provided to the Maryland State Board of Elections and asked them to supply a biography, their education and experience for the office they are seeking. Those responses were edited for brevity and included in the voter guide.

For candidates running for governor, Congress, the House of Delegates or state Senate, county executive, county council and competitive state’s attorney and sheriff primary races, we also asked candidates questions about issues they will likely address in the job they are seeking. The questions were compiled and edited by Banner staff and the candidate responses, limited to 200 words, were added to the voter guide verbatim.

For candidates who did not respond, The Banner sent a follow-up email prior to the deadline to submit bios and questionnaire answers. If the email supplied by the campaign was not working, we followed up at another address if one was available. In some cases, we contacted candidates at the phone number they provided to the Maryland State Board of Elections.

The Banner excluded candidates who won’t appear on the primary ballot and Democratic and Republican party central committee races from its voter guide.