Will Jawando, a Democrat and at-large Montgomery County Council member since 2018, is running for county executive in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Esther L. Wells, according to BallotReady election data.
Jawando has been certified for the ballot.
Candidate information
- Name: Will "Yemi" Jawando
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Montgomery County Executive
- Current role: At-large councilmember, Montgomery County Council (elected 2018); council vice president (2025), according to his campaign
- Education: Bachelor's degree in sociology, Catholic University of America (2004); juris doctor, Catholic University of America (2007)
- Hometown: Born in Montgomery County; grew up in Silver Spring, per his campaign biography
Jawando says he was born to Olayinka Jawando, a Nigerian immigrant, and Kathy Jacob. His 2022 memoir, My Seven Black Fathers, reflects on mentors he met growing up in Silver Spring, according to his campaign biography.
Experience and public service
Before joining the council, Jawando held positions in federal government and the private sector, according to BallotReady profile data:
- Legal fellow, NAACP National Office (2004–2005)
- Law fellow, office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (2004–2005)
- Legislative aide, office of U.S. Senator Barack Obama (2005–2007)
- Vice president, DC NAACP (2006–2008)
- Legislative assistant, office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (2007–2009)
- Associate director, Office of Public Engagement, Executive Office of the President (2009–2011)
- Deputy director of strategic partnerships, U.S. Department of Education (2011–2012)
- Director of congressional relations, 2012 Democratic National Convention (2012)
- Director, corporate and government affairs, Discovery Communications (2012–2013)
- Of counsel, The Raben Group (2013–2015)
- Director, Summer R.I.S.E., WorkSource Montgomery (2017)
On the issues
The following positions are Jawando's own statements, drawn from his campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses.
Housing and affordability: Jawando says the county should produce affordable housing, preserve existing stock and protect renters from displacement. He calls for workforce housing tools such as down payment assistance and tax incentives for teachers, police officers and healthcare workers.
Transportation and infrastructure: Jawando says the county needs to shift away from car trips toward multimodal alternatives. He says he wants to advance Vision Zero to reduce pedestrian deaths and expand transit to connect workers to jobs.
Economy and jobs: Jawando says he wants to grow sectors such as biotechnology, cybersecurity and technology while incentivizing new businesses to relocate to the county. He calls for expanded contracts and support for minority-, women- and disabled-owned enterprises.
Education: Jawando says the county should fully fund schools, shrink class sizes and expand pre-K. He also calls for fully funded special education services.
Environment and energy: Jawando says the county should reduce building emissions, expand locally generated renewable energy including solar and electrify the county fleet.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are listed on Jawando's campaign endorsements page and BallotReady profile data, credited to the endorsers:
- Wes Moore, governor of Maryland
- Angela Alsobrooks, U.S. Senate
- MCEA — Apple Ballot, Montgomery County Education Association
- Maryland State Education Association
- 1199SEIU MD/DC, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East MD/DC
- SEIU Local 500
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland
- AFSCME
- AFGE District 14, American Federation of Government Employees District 14
- Metro DC AFL-CIO
- CASA in Action
- Progressive Maryland
- Progressive Neighbors
- Our Revolution Maryland
- Jews United for Justice Campaign Fund
Candidate positions and biography details are drawn from Jawando's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. This profile was compiled from public sources and candidate-provided materials.
