State Sen. Sara Love is running for a full term representing District 16 in the Maryland State Senate. The Democrat faces voters in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Love was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Wes Moore on June 13, 2024, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Sen. Ariana Kelly, according to the Maryland Manual On-Line. She describes herself as a progressive Democrat, according to her campaign website.

The policy positions below are drawn from the candidate's own responses, submitted through BallotReady and her campaign website. They reflect the candidate's stated views.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: Maryland State Senate, District 16
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Birthplace: Evanston, Illinois (born April 6, 1967)
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in history, Princeton University (1989); juris doctor, Northwestern University (1993)

Experience and public service

Love served as a delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 16 from 2019 to 2024, according to the Maryland Manual On-Line. From 2023 to 2024, she chaired the Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee and served on the Environment and Transportation Committee.

She also chaired the Land Use, Transportation, and Public Safety Committee of the Montgomery County House Delegation from 2020 to 2024, according to her campaign website.

In the Senate, Love serves on the Judicial Proceedings Committee. She chairs the Chesapeake Bay Commission and is a member of the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities, according to the Maryland Manual On-Line.

Before entering elected office, Love clerked for Judge Timothy K. Lewis on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit from 1993 to 1994. She worked as a litigation associate at Robinson, Curley and Clayton from 1994 to 1998. She later served as general counsel and legal director at NARAL Pro-Choice America and sat on the organization's board of directors from 2010 to 2014. She also served as legal director of the Clinic Access Project at the Feminist Majority Foundation and as general counsel at the National Women's Health Foundation. Love was president of the board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland from 2008 to 2012 and public policy director at the ACLU from 2012 to 2016. She also serves as a board member at McLean School.

On the issues

Transportation: Love said transportation is "one of the top issues affecting all of us in Montgomery County." She said she supports improving public transit and creating safer roads for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. She called for a "multi-modal, comprehensive solution that addresses both roads and transit."

Environment and the Chesapeake Bay: Love said the Potomac River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay and supplies much of District 16's drinking water. She said she supports combating climate change, reducing single-use plastics, protecting forests and managing aquatic species. She also said she supports expanding clean energy programs and using energy more efficiently. On energy costs, Love said data center growth is pulling from existing supply and that families face "impossible choices between paying their utility bills and keeping food on the table."

Education: Love said she is "a firm believer in public schools" and noted that Montgomery County Public Schools is the largest system in the state and the 14th largest in the country. She said MCPS is growing by 2,500 students a year and that 31.5% of students qualify for free and reduced-price meals, 14.2% receive English-language services and 11.7% receive special education services.

Reproductive rights: Love said she is pro-choice. She said she will continue fighting efforts to restrict abortion access in Maryland.

Healthcare: Love said she supports ensuring all Marylanders have access to affordable, quality health care.

Endorsements

The following endorsements were reported by BallotReady, credited to the endorsing organizations:

  • Maryland State Education Association
  • Maryland League of Conservation Voters
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland
  • AFSCME