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County Council Member (At-Large) · Montgomery County · 2026 Primary
At-large county council members represent the entire county rather than a specific geographic district, making decisions that affect all residents. They are responsible for passing local laws, overseeing land use and zoning, and approving the county budget which determines funding for schools, roads, and public safety. This office is vital because these members balance the needs of the whole community to set the county’s long-term priorities and tax rates.
View all candidates in this raceJeremiah Pope is a Montgomery County resident seeking election as County Council Member at-Large for the June 23, 2026 election. Born in Nashville, Tennessee and raised in Aiken, South Carolina by his grandmother (a nurse) and grandfather (a railroad worker), he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from College of Charleston in 2003 and later a Master of Arts in Public Policy from New England College. He started J Pope Consulting in 2006 as a minority-owned fundraising and consulting company, which became integral to diversifying the political industry and winning Democratic races across the D.C. Metro Area. In 2019, he accepted a public servant position as Chief of Staff for Maryland Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield, where he worked on legislation breaking down systemic barriers, protecting women and children, fighting hate crimes, and improving access to services. He has served as president of Hillandale Citizens Association (the only other Black president since 1998) and held board positions with multiple community organizations including the NAACP Parents' Council and Maryland Democratic Party African American Diversity Leadership Council.
Sources: Campaign website
Jeremiah is running to represent the voices and needs of all Montgomery County residents.
Montgomery County is at a crossroads, and it's time to Reset, Renew, and Rebuild Montgomery County, back to a community we can all be proud of.
Your support means the world to me. I am 100% backed by people like you, not special interests.
Source: popeforcouncil.com
Education
Jeremiah has been a longtime advocate for improving education for every child in the county. He has served on the NAACP Parents' Council and testified in support of fully funding public schools including the Linkage to Learning program at Burtonsville Elementary.
“He will fight to make sure that all our schools receive the resources they need to give every student the best possible education regardless of where they live.”
Housing
Jeremiah finds it unacceptable that middle class and working families are spending more than 30% of their income on housing. He supports progressive rezoning policies to expand affordable housing.
“The affordable housing crisis can be resolved through progressive rezoning policies that expands the amount of affordable housing in the county and require new residential construction to include affordable units that are truly affordable for working families.”
Jobs and Economy
As a small business owner, Jeremiah understands what it takes to create jobs and grow a strong local economy. He will partner with small and minority-owned businesses to expand access to capital.
“He will fight to protect renters, support safe and clean housing, expand first-time home buyer credits, and convert commercial space into more housing while preserving neighborhood character.”
Public Safety
Jeremiah has consistently worked to make everyone in communities safer. He fought to strengthen hate crimes laws and helped protect women from domestic violence by removing a spousal defense in cases of sexual violence.
“We need common sense leadership, that is going to address the housing affordability crisis, improve our public education, and support our community and police officers to reduce crime.”
According to MyMC Media coverage from March 21, 2025, Jeremiah Pope (D) will run for county council at-large in 2026 after unsuccessfully running for District 5 in 2022. The article notes he is a community advocate and chief of staff for state delegate Charlotte Crutchfield who has worked on legislation addressing systemic barriers, housing affordability, public education, and crime reduction.
“He will fight to make sure that all our schools receive the resources they need to give every student the best possible education regardless of where they live.”
Source“The affordable housing crisis can be resolved through progressive rezoning policies that expands the amount of affordable housing in the county and require new residential construction to include affordable units that are truly affordable for working families.”
Source“He will partner with small and minority-owned businesses to expand access to capital, streamline regulations, and provide targeted tax incentives that help businesses thrive—especially in underserved communities.”
Source“We need common sense leadership, that is going to address the housing affordability crisis, improve our public education, and support our community and police officers to reduce crime.”
Source