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State Senator · Legislative District 17 · Maryland · 2026 Primary
Maryland State Senators represent their local districts in the General Assembly, where they propose and vote on laws covering issues like education, transportation, and public safety. They are responsible for approving the state’s annual budget and have the unique power to confirm or reject the Governor’s appointments for judges and agency leaders. This office is critical because its decisions determine how state tax dollars are spent and which policies govern your local community.
View all candidates in this raceSen. Cheryl C. Kagan has served in the Maryland Senate since 2015 representing District 17 (Gaithersburg & Rockville) as an effective advocate for residents of Montgomery County and the people of Maryland. She previously represented District 17 in the House of Delegates from 1995 to 2003, served as first Executive Director of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation which contributed over $1,000,000 annually to area nonprofits, worked at BBYO promoting Jewish teen leadership, and taught state and local government at Montgomery College after earning a political science degree from Vassar College and graduate work in public policy at the University of Maryland. In 2019 she was appointed by Senate President as Vice Chair of Triple E (Education, Energy, Environment & Elections) and serves on the Maryland State Arts Council and Maryland Open Data Council. Her legislative priorities reflect principles of fiscal prudence, social responsibility, defending values, and investing wisely for the future while focusing on constituents in Gaithersburg and Rockville.
Sources: Campaign website
There is SO much going on in these crazy and challenging times, and I'm hoping that you'll find information here that will be helpful and informative.
When 9-1-1 fails, people die.
I want to help make government work better for all of us!
Sen. Kagan's next legislative priority for the sector is opening opportunities for nonprofits to participate in climate change solutions through the establishment of a revolving, interest-free loan fund to support green conversions.
Source: cherylkagan.org
Public Safety
Creating a statewide 3-1-1 system using Artificial Intelligence to lighten the load on our 9-1-1 centers; established and chaired the Maryland NG911 Commission; sponsored bipartisan legislation that adjusted 9-1-1 fees, addressed recruitment/retention challenges, strengthened interoperability, increased penalties for cyberattacks/swatting, fortified oversight, classified 9-1-1 Specialists as first responders
“Motivated to act after three people died in her district when 9-1-1 failed, including her friend and Rockville activist Carl Henn, Sen. Kagan has become a nationally recognized expert on 'Next Generation 9-1-1' (NG911). In the pursuit of updating our emergency response centers with modern technology to increase reliability, she established and chaired the Maryland NG911 Commission.”
Environment
Supporting vital nonprofit sector and providing access to funding that will help them lower expenses and play a role in the transition to GREEN energy solutions; establishing a revolving, interest-free loan fund to support green conversions for nonprofits
“Sen. Kagan's next legislative priority for the sector is opening opportunities for nonprofits to participate in climate change solutions through the establishment of a revolving, interest-free loan fund to support green conversions (first introduced in 2022).”
Government Ethics
Updating election laws to make them more accessible and transparent; sponsored legislation requiring State Board of Elections and Local Boards of Elections to livestream meetings, improving mail-in ballot processing, creating recount guidelines, redefining appropriation of election funding, ensuring voters understand party affiliation rules during registration
“Earning her reputation for shoring up democracy as the go-to Senator on election legislation, Sen. Kagan has become a trusted voice and reformer in the effort to modernize and strengthen our democratic systems.”
“When 9-1-1 fails, people die.”
Source“Supporting our vital nonprofit sector and providing access to funding that will help them lower expenses and play a role in the transition to GREEN energy solutions”
Source“Updating our election laws to make them more accessible and transparent”
Source