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County Commissioner · Washington 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 raceTeri Pailen is a Washington County resident and Democratic candidate seeking election to the Washington County Board of County Commissioners in 2026. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland University College and spent 37 years working for the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving 23 years as a Senior Grants Management Specialist and three years as a Supervisory Grants Management Specialist before retiring in February 2025. She currently serves as President of the Northeast Section of the Society of Research Administrators International. Her campaign priorities center on fiscal oversight and transparency in county government, including the creation of formal grant review policies and standard operating procedures, as well as restoring public comment periods during commissioner meetings. She is one of eight Democrats running in the June 23, 2026 primary for the five available commissioner seats.
The Hancock News reported on Teri Pailen's candidacy filing as part of broader 2026 election season coverage for Washington County offices. She is listed among Democratic candidates running for re-election to the Board of County Commissioners alongside Republican incumbents John Barr, Jeffrey Cline and Randy Leatherman who also declared campaigns. The article notes she filed by the February 24 deadline for placement on the June 23 primary election ballot.