Prince George’s County Council District 9

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: Kim Carter

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

Name: Imara Crooms

Age: 45

Personal: Married, one daughter.

Education: Master’s degree, democracy and governance, Georgetown University; bachelor’s degree, political science, Rutgers University; associate’s degree, social sciences, Essex County College.

Experience: Led international efforts to dismantle corrupt systems, fight for human rights, develop lasting transparent and accountable government, and empower civil society; seasoned organizer and activist who has fought alongside people from our neighbors demanding equal rights to labor unions demanding living wages and district 9 residents combating predatory development.

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: Tamara Davis Brown

Age: 60

Personal: Married, two children.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, communications specialist and Spanish, Baylor University; Juris Doctor, Howard University School of Law.

Experience: Attorney in private practice, specializing in wireless telecommunications and practices before the Federal Communications Commission; co-founder and CEO, Last Mile Broadband of Maryland, LLC.

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: Leslye Dwight

Age: 44

Personal: Mother.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, social work, Bowie State University; master’s degree, human services management, McDaniel College; MDiv, Payne Theological Seminary; DMin, Wesley Theological Seminary (2027)

Experience: Served in Prince George’s County Government, led and supported efforts in fiscal management, policy evaluation, and program management.

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: Sherman Hardy

Age: 42

Personal:

Education: Bachelor’s degree, emergency and disaster management

Experience: Acquisition specialist, federal government; U.S. Air Force veteran; Military Police officer; dispatcher, Florida Highway Patrol; member, Prince George’s County Housing Opportunities for All Workgroup; community advocate, Citizens for Accountability in Governance.

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: Jerome Lattisaw

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

Name: Sequan Swint

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

Name: Lolita E. Walker

Age: 49

Personal: Mother.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, industrial engineering; master’s degree, business administration; pursuing a Ph.D., entrepreneurship.

Experience: Leadership strategist; certified executive coach; educator; small business owner; corporate leader, Fortune 500 company; elected member, District 9, Prince George’s County Board of Education.

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: Eleanor Washington

Age: 52

Personal: Married, one daughter.

Education: Bachelor’s coursework, education, University of Maryland; continuing professional development in special education support, youth development, and community leadership.

Experience: Paraprofessional educator, Prince George’s County Public Schools; employee and advocate with The Arc of Prince George’s County; IT Project Management and Network Operations leadership experience, including Department of Defense–related work; volunteer, Marlboro Boys & Girls Club.

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?

Republican

Name: Jesse A. Peed

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