This story is part of the series, “Voter Voices.” 草莓传媒 asked voters across Maryland what issues concerned them, and who would be getting their vote in the upcoming election for governor. Previous chapters have included stops in Montgomery County, Frederick County, Baltimore City, and Howard County.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. 鈥� They may have concerns on similar issues, but residents of Prince George’s and Calvert Counties have different ideas of who should be leading the state.
Prince George鈥檚 County votes reliably and solidly for Democrats. Calvert County voters overwhelmingly voted for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in the 2014 race against Democrat Anthony Brown.
One county has seen a cascade of scandals in the public school system that led to a state audit. The other continues to see growth that鈥檚 prompted concern about transportation.
Voters in both counties are looking for a future where their children have access to good schools and jobs that pay well. But to shape that future, they may look to different candidates in the governor鈥檚 race.
Prince George鈥檚 County: Voters zero in on education
Antonio Barr, a Prince George鈥檚 County resident who coaches American Youth Football in his community, has been alarmed by class sizes in his children鈥檚 school.
Barr said that in Prince George鈥檚 County, his children were in classrooms with as many as 38 other students.
鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 even have enough chairs and desks for the kids,鈥� he said.
That prompted the father of three to make some phone calls about class size.
鈥淚 called the school; I researched who my school board member was, and nobody seemed to think that鈥檚 a big deal,鈥� he said
Barr contrasts the big classes to what he sees in D.C. schools where he works. He says in D.C., the size of classes at the elementary level seem to be held at 25 students.
What really irritates Barr is that he voted in favor of the ballot initiative that paved the way for the arrival of the casino in Prince George鈥檚 County. 鈥淏ecause they said the MGM money was going to be funneled to the schools,鈥� he said. But, since the ballot measure passed in 2012, he said of the promised added funding, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see it.鈥�
Barr typically votes Democratic, but says this year he鈥檚 paying close attention to the stances all candidates are taking.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely going to make sure they鈥檙e going to have to earn my vote. I鈥檓 not just voting Democratic because I鈥檓 a Democrat, I鈥檓 voting who鈥檚 for the kids鈥攆or the community. Because at the end of the day, it should truly be about the kids,鈥� and right now he said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see that.鈥�
Prince George’s County 鈥� by the numbers
Total population: 912,756
Median household income: $75,925
Education: High School or higher: 85.8 percent; BA or higher: 31.5 percent
Racial demographics: 26.8 percent white; 64.6 percent African American; 4.6 percent Asian; 18.5 percent Hispanic/Latino
Registered voters
- Active registered Democrats: 451,530
- Active registered Republicans: 40,700
- Active registered unaffiliated voters: 28,921
Travel time to work (mean): 36.7 min
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland State Board of Elections
鈥淚鈥檓 having to bust my butt to support myself鈥�
Kristin Green is a student at Montgomery College, despite graduating from Crossland High School in Prince George鈥檚 County. She lives in Suitland, and explains she chose to attend community college in neighboring Montgomery County to avoid what she jokingly called the 鈥淐rossland Vortex鈥� at Prince George鈥檚 Community College.
She just wanted a change, she said. Green said health care is also an issue that concerns her.
Green wasn鈥檛 familiar with the candidates for governor, but says when she casts her ballot, she鈥檒l be looking at the candidate who will help students deal with access to financial aid.
鈥淎 lot of kids can鈥檛 pay for college, and that鈥檚 why a lot of high school kids don鈥檛 go,鈥� she said.
Green ran into a roadblock in her own education and is taking a semester off because her financial aid ran out, she said. Now she鈥檚 working as a restaurant cashier.
鈥淚鈥檓 making $12 an hour, and I鈥檓 having to bust my butt to support myself,鈥� she said, adding that she looks forward to resuming her studies this spring.
Green said she normally votes Democratic because she comes from a family of Democrats, but this time around, she said the candidate who gets her vote 鈥渄epends on who relates more to me,鈥� and who can address her issues.
Read all the stories in 草莓传媒’s “Voter Voices” series.
- What Baltimore residents want to hear from candidates
- Frederick County voters discus health care, transportation, guns
- Montgomery County voters sound of on Hogan, Jealous
- Sizing up Jealous, Hogan in ‘bellwether’ Howard County
Donna Brown, in Cheverly, said school safety is important to her. She welcomes the new state provisions for school resource officers, while lamenting the need for the action.
鈥淚 mean I hate to see it happen because your schools should be safe, but the reality is that your schools do need security鈥� she said.
Brown said she crosses party lines when voting.
鈥淚f the person is standing for what I believe in, that鈥檚 who I鈥檓 going to vote for,鈥� she said.
She hasn鈥檛 made her selection in the governor鈥檚 race, but would like to see a change in one area.
鈥淚 think he could open the door for more conversation in terms of having the schools encourage the children to practice their religion鈥� she said.
Education issues influence voters鈥� decision on governor鈥檚 race
Fayoa Felix-Gunn said education is also top of mind for her as she considers who should get her vote in the mid-term elections. She鈥檚 a registered Democrat but is taking a close look at the candidates for governor this year.
So far, she said, she鈥檚 leaning towards Democrat Ben Jealous. She鈥檚 originally from Baltimore, and his connection there鈥攈is mother is from Baltimore鈥攔esonates with her. She also likes his experience as the former President of the NAACP.
Felix-Gunn is concerned about education, and as someone who recently moved to Prince George鈥檚 County, she said she鈥檚 still studying the issues that led to the ouster of the school system鈥檚 CEO and the appointment of an interim CEO.
So while she weighs the campaigns of Jealous and Hogan, she adds 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to seeing what鈥檚 going to happen at a local level with the new county executive.鈥� In Prince George鈥檚 County, it鈥檚 the county executive, not the school board, who selects the school CEO鈥攖he position referred to as superintendent in other jurisdictions.
Donna Woodson-Moore, whose son attends Prince George鈥檚 County Schools said she鈥檚 undecided in the race. Looking at incumbent Hogan and Democrat Jealous, she said, 鈥淏oth of them have some good points.鈥�
She said Jealous鈥� lack of experience in elected office gives her pause, though she鈥檚 traditionally voted Democratic. Like many other voters interviewed for this series she said, 鈥� The older generation鈥攖hey vote a certain way because that鈥檚 just how it is鈥擨 think that鈥檚 the wrong thought process to have. You鈥檝e just to to open your eyes and open your ears,鈥� she said.
Calvert County: Taxes and Transportation motivate reluctant residents
Linda Bednarski was with her husband, walking their dog along the boardwalk in Calvert County鈥檚 Chesapeake Beach. Unlike many voters 草莓传媒 spoke with, she won鈥檛 need any more time to make up her mind: she鈥檚 voting for Hogan.
Her husband is a retired police officer and she鈥檒l be retiring from the military soon, so Hogan鈥檚 efforts to grant tax relief to first responders and military retirees resonates with her family.
鈥淢aryland is a very expensive state to live in, especially for retirees鈥� she said.
Bednarski is a registered Republican, 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 feel I toe the party line鈥� she said.
鈥淚 vote with my conscience, not with what the party dictates to me. I don鈥檛 care whether you鈥檙e a Democrat or a Republican鈥� she said.
Calvert County 鈥� by the numbers
Total population: 91,502
Median household income: $96,808
Education: High School or higher: 93.3 percent; BA or higher: 29.3 percent
Racial demographics: 81.4 percent white; 13.2 percent African American; 1.8 percent Asian; 4 percent Hispanic/Latino
Registered voters
- Active registered Democrats: 23,374
- Active registered Republicans: 26,930
- Active registered unaffiliated voters:0
Travel time to work (mean): 41.4 min
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland State Board of Elections
She did take a look at Democrat Ben Jealous鈥� platform. 鈥淚 really can鈥檛 see how the plans he has are going to be economically feasible.鈥�
Bednarski says her family has a lot of medical expenses, and said two years ago she wrote to Hogan to voice her concern about the high cost of health care.
She says she heard from his office soon after. 鈥淭hey actually wrote back to me. It was a very nice, thorough letter and they addressed all my concerns, so I was very impressed by that,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 going to vote鈥�
Alex White, of Huntingtown in Calvert County, said traffic is a major issue for him. Speaking outside Bowen鈥檚 Grocery鈥攁 local landmark that features a statue of a steer on top of the roof 鈥� White said any candidate who can make a difference in road conditions will get a look from him.
鈥淭raffic in the morning, and in the afternoon, when they鈥檙e working on the road鈥� he said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really bad.鈥�
White said he doesn鈥檛 typically vote and hasn鈥檛 given the upcoming election much thought.
The registered Democrat said he chose the party just because his family is mostly Democrats. 鈥淚鈥檓 not really into political matters like that,鈥� he said.
As the election approaches, he says he鈥檒l take a look at his phone where he often picks up the news of the day, to help him make his decision. In the meantime, he鈥檚 hoping for a better commute.
Kevante Anderson, also picking up a few things at Bowen鈥檚 Grocery, said he鈥檇 like to see improvements on area roadways 鈥� especially state roads such as Route 4 and Route 5 where he sees a lot of congestion.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 going to vote鈥� he said of the upcoming election. 鈥淚鈥檝e voted ever since I turned 18 and I鈥檓 25 now, but my hopes went all the way down since Donald Trump got elected.鈥�
