By Steve Crane | Editor-in-chief
“Whenever we actually get to see our names on the ballot, we know that it’s the work of a grassroots group who put us there. We’re proud of that and excited about that.” - Green Party gubernatorial nominee Andy Ellis, on the extra hurdles third-party candidates face to get on the ballot, after elections officials this week certified five third-party hopefuls.
After a whirlwind week, that saw redistricting survive, road funding upheaval and the launch of a controversial paid family leave program, among other news, welcome to the weekend. Finally.
While most attention was focused on the redistricting question and whether it would make the ballot, election officials this week were quietly certifying a handful of third-party candidates and putting their names on the ballot. It’s not an easy process, just one of many hurdles third-party candidates face, as Pera Onal reports.
Maryland has been at the forefront of the pushback against data centers, but other cities and counties in the Chesapeake Bay region are starting to follow suit, as the Chesapeake Bay Journal’s Lauren Hines-Acosta reports. And the Reflecting Pool was back in court before a judge who appeared dubious of the latest Trump administration claims. Ariana Figueroa has that story.
One thing we’re certain of: We wouldn’t be here, hectic week or not, without the support of our readers. People like Cynthia R. of Silver Spring, Susan H. of Crownsville, Patricia P. from Catonsville and Irene H. of Edgewater. Thank you, we couldn’t do it without you.
If you want to chip in, visit our donate page. In the meantime, check out the rest of today’s stories, plus headlines from our busy, busy week below as you ease into your weekend. Enjoy!
The Maryland State Board of Elections office in Annapolis. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines.)
By Pera Onal
Sam Husseini's name will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot as a Green Party candidate for Maryland's 4th District seat in Congress, after state election officials certified his candidacy this week.
It wasn't easy. Like the handful of other third-party candidates whose candidacies were accepted Monday, Husseini had to overcome a “huge hurdle” to get on the general election ballot, that candidates in the two major parties don't have to deal with. And he will continue to deal with challenges that include limited campaign funds, lack of exposure and scant party support.
The Maryland Board of Elections finalized ballots and certified all third-party candidates Monday for the Nov. 3 general election, more than two months after state-run primaries for the Democratic and Republican parties picked the candidates for those parties.
Of the 17 independents and third-party candidates who were listed at the time of the June 23 primary as having filed a notice of intent to run for office, just five were able to make the official ballot Monday, mostly Green Party candidates and a few Working Class Party candidates. Write-in candidates have until Oct. 15 to file their candidacy paperwork, but their names will not appear on any ballots. Green Party and Working Class Party candidates had until early July to submit a Declaration of Intent and have an established campaign committee to be approved to run.
Melissa Emmal participates in a rally shortly before commissioners in Calvert County approved a data center moratorium on Aug. 18. (Photo courtesy Melissa Emmal)
By Lauren Hines-Acosta
Data centers, which enable the internet and artificial intelligence, are proliferating across the nation. Now, a wave of data center pushback is sweeping the Chesapeake Bay region as distrust of the industry deepens and energy bills rise, even though pauses and bans on data center development could cost some localities key financial opportunities.
From a ban in Harford County to pauses of varying lengths in counties and cities, localities across the Chesapeake region are adopting some form of data center restrictions to research the industry’s impacts and to draft regulations. Seventeen localities have adopted moratoriums lasting up to two years, with most of them in Maryland. Many communities are concerned about the centers using water to cool their servers, polluting the air with emergency diesel generators and straining the energy grid.
Data Center Watch, a research project by an AI intelligence company, found that the number of opposition groups nationwide more than doubled between October 2025 and March 2026. The company’s report also found that about $130 billion worth of data center projects were rejected between January and March of this year — about the same amount as all of 2025. “I’ve never seen a policy issue rise like this from relative obscurity to dominating the political landscape,” said Michael Sanderson, executive director of the Maryland Association of Counties.
IN OTHER NEWS
Reflecting Pool redux: A D.C. Superior Court judge seemed inclined Friday to bar new felony charges against former Olympian David Hearn, the Maryland man the Trump administration accused of damaging part of the Reflecting Pool, before dropping charges.
Judge extends hold on mail-in ballot restrictions: A U.S. Postal Service rule restricting mail-in voting is unconstitutional, like the presidential executive order that spurred it, a federal district judge said in a Friday order extending a freeze on the policy.
Federal per diem inches up: Federal employees on business travel will see their daily per diem bumped from $110 to $113 a day beginning next month, the GSA announced, but allowances for meals and incidentals will remain unchanged at $68 to $92 for the year.
Slim (apple) pickings: The effects of April’s catastrophic freeze on crops in parts of Maryland are showing up at local orchards, where the chance to pick your own apples is slim this fall and prices will likely be higher, said one pick-your-own orchard owner.
MATTERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Supreme Court upholds redistricting ballot question: A proposed ballot question that could set new standards for the way congressional maps are drawn in Maryland will go to voters in November, a divided Supreme Court of Maryland ruled Thursday evening.
Limiting election interference: Despite vowing to “do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections,” there's very little President Donald Trump can legally do, say experts and election officials. But state officials are still making plans in case.
Bus stop woes: Less than two weeks after about 10,000 students were left waiting for school buses at the start of the school year, Prince George’s County Public Schools leaders are apologizing to families and explaining what they’re doing to fix the problems.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
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