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County Commissioner · District 5 · Somerset County · 2026 Primary
County Commissioners act as both the lawmaking body and the executive branch for their county, meaning they pass local ordinances and oversee all county departments. They are responsible for setting property tax rates and adopting the annual budget, which determines funding levels for essential services like public schools, road maintenance, and emergency responders. Their decisions on land use and zoning also directly influence how your community grows and what types of businesses or housing can be built.
View all candidates in this raceRandy Laird is a current Somerset County Commissioner representing District 5 and is seeking re-election in 2026, running unopposed on the Democratic primary ballot. He is currently serving his fourth term and serves as Vice President of the Board of County Commissioners. A lifelong resident of Somerset County, Laird has spent 45 years raising broilers and cattle on the family farm and served his country through eight years in the U.S. Army Reserves and 13 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves. He is a lifetime member of Asbury United Methodist Church, where he has served on and chaired several committees, and has volunteered with the Crisfield Fire Department for over 50 years, serving as a line officer, President, and Treasurer. He also coached Little League baseball for several years. In his public service role, Laird serves on the Somerset Community Services board, the Tri-County Council Executive Board — where he is a past President and current Secretary — and is a board member of the Crisfield Smith Island Cultural Alliance.
EMS Funding Disparity
Laird argues that county spending on ambulance services is unevenly distributed between different parts of the jurisdiction.
“"There’s two ambulance squads in the county … We’re paying a lot more on the one that’s on the upper end, a lot less on the one on the lower end,"”
News coverage indicates that Laird has been vocal about fiscal disparities in Somerset County's EMS funding, specifically noting higher costs for one end of the county versus another. He is listed among candidates filing for local offices around Delmarva as a Democrat seeking the District 5 Commissioner seat. The reporting underscores broader concerns regarding funding disputes and whether Somerset functions as a unified entity or competing regions.
“"There’s two ambulance squads in the county … We’re paying a lot more on the one that’s on the upper end, a lot less on the one on the lower end,"”
Source“Commissioner President Charles Laird and Vice President Randy Laird sparred over ambulance costs and local responsibility.”
Source“County leaders have been wrestling with EMS instability for more than a year, after Princess Anne Volunteer Fire Company announced in 2025 that it could no longer sustain ambulance transport.”
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