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Michael Robinson Chavez

Almost a month after winning her bid for the U.S. Senate, Angela Alsobrooks formally resigned Monday as Prince George’s county executive <b>— </b>setting the stage for a pair of special elections to fill her job and, potentially, more special elections if one of the county officials vying for the spot wins.

In a letter addressed to Prince George’s County residents, Alsobrooks, 53, said serving them has been the “honor of my lifetime.”

“Thank you for your trust and partnership as we worked to build a stronger, united Prince George’s,” she said.

Since she was elected as Maryland’s first Black Senator in early November, county residents have been waiting for her official resignation — and its timing. In Prince George’s, the portion of the county municipal code covering elected office vacancies calls for a pair of special elections to be held for the county executive’s seat — one for parties to select a nominee, and the other a general election — if the person vacating the role does so within the first two years of their term.

Alsobrooks’s departure, days before the anniversary of her Dec. 5, 2022, swearing-in ceremony, means county residents will get an opportunity in the coming months to elect a new executive themselves. Had Alsobrooks resigned after Dec. 5, the county council would have selected a new county executive from among themselves.

Some Prince George’s County residents, including community organizers and criminal justice reform advocates, expressed relief that Alsobrooks resigned before the deadline.

“I am glad she resigned allowing the democratic process to move forward,” Beverly John, founder of the Talking Drum, a local social justice nonprofit, said in a statement. “The voters will now have the opportunity to select the next county executive from the potential candidates.”

County code dictates that a special primary election will be held between 45 and 100 days after the county executive’s seat becomes vacant and that the special general election must be held between 40 and 60 days after that. In the interim, Prince George’s Chief Administrative Officer Tara Jackson has assumed the role of running the county government, according to the municipal code and Alsobrooks’s statement.

According to the code’s timetable, Prince Georgians could have a newly elected county executive as early as March.

Numerous candidates are already vying for the job, including Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and county council members Jolene Ivey and Calvin Hawkins. Former Prince George’s county executive Rushern Baker said Monday that he is strongly considering entering the race, too.

Should Braveboy win, a judge would appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of her term, according to the Maryland Constitution.

Should Ivey or Hawkins win, the county would have to hold special elections to fill their seats. In Ivey’s case, it would be for the at-large seat she won last month after another pair of special elections were held to replace former council member Mel Franklin, who stepped down before pleading guilty to a felony theft scheme.

A special election still needs to be held for Ivey’s District 5 seat — adding to a mounting bill for special elections paid for by Prince George’s taxpayers since Franklin stepped down that could be $8 million, according to a county estimate.

In a statement Monday, Ivey announced her campaign and highlighted her wins as council chair, saying she successfully closed a $171 million budget deficit, stabilized rent for seniors and fixed-income residents, provided record funding to public schools and ensured property taxes didn’t go up while increasing the county police force during a “tough budget year.”

“Prince George’s County is at a crossroads,” Ivey said in her statement. “The next County Executive must tackle the housing affordability crisis, improve our schools, support our businesses, and work with the community and police to reduce crime.”

On Tuesday, the county council will vote on whether Ivey will remain as chair for the next year.

Hawkins, who also formally launched his campaign Monday, said in a statement that the county needs to build on Alsobrooks’s progress with new leadership that balances experience and “centering the voices of communities.”

In his statement, Hawkins pointed to his three decades of county government experience, saying he guided local businesses and renters through the covid-19 pandemic and expanded access to community health care. His vision for the county centers on ensuring schools have resources, addressing the lack of affordable housing for seniors and boosting economic development.

“Prince George’s County needs a leader with a proven record of listening — at people’s doorsteps, on the phone, at the supermarket — so we can forge a path forward that works for everyone,” Hawkins said in his statement.

In declaring her candidacy Monday, Braveboy said in a statement that she celebrates Alsobrooks for her decision to resign so that voters may elect their next leader.

“The challenges and opportunities before us are enormous and both will demand bold and ambitious vision in response,” Braveboy said. “Voters know that I’m unafraid of a challenge and that I seldom miss an opportunity.”

Alsobrooks, who defeated Republican former governor Larry Hogan for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Ben Cardin (D), leaves her county executive role as Prince George’s wrestles with a perennial budget deficit that has made it harder to fund schools, public safety and other services.

During her time in office, the county has entered into a public-private partnership that has led to the construction of several new schools. Prince George’s was also chosen last year as the site of the FBI’s new headquarters, though that decision could be affected by President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

On Monday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Alsobrooks’s accomplishments.

“Angela worked tirelessly to make Prince George’s County a safer, stronger place to call home,” Moore said in a statement. “We’re deeply grateful for her effort and for the results she achieved.”

Indiana University, BA in journalism

Katie Mettler is a Maryland criminal justice reporter. 

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First Place, Best College Feature Writing, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists

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Jasmine Hilton is a reporter covering crime and courts on the Metro desk at The Washington Post.

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Alsobrooks formally leaves county executive post in Prince George’s

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