Meet the three democrats vying for Anne Arundel County Executive

As Anne Arundel County grapples with rising housing costs, congested commutes, and growing infrastructure demands, three Democrats are making the case that they should be the county's next executive.

County Councilwoman Alison Pickard is a former school board member serving her second term on the county council. James Kitchin is a former teacher who worked as a policy advisor in the Pittman administration. Pete Smith is a 14-year county council veteran who spent 28 years serving in the Marine Corps.

Housing affordability

Housing affordability is one of the biggest issues in the race.

Pickard points to housing legislation she helped pass on the county council, including measures aimed at expanding the workforce and moderately priced housing.

"We have a lot of opportunities ahead of us to really tackle the crisis in a very responsible way, where there's already infrastructure," Pickard said.

Kitchin says the government should take a stronger role in shaping development and ensuring new projects meet residents' needs.

"The government needs to drive a harder bargain and make sure that what we're building is affordable. We need to be laser-focused on getting the type of housing that our residents actually need," Kitchin said.

Smith says the county needs more entry-level homeownership opportunities and wants to incentivize developers to build smaller homes in a lower price range.

"My plan is to actually champion and facilitate builders building a specific commodity that's actually going to solve the problem," Smith said.

Growth and congestion

All three candidates say future growth must also be balanced with environmental protection.

Pickard points to climate resilience projects and shoreline protection efforts. Kitchin has called for stronger forest conservation policies and directed development toward areas with existing infrastructure. Smith says economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.

When it comes to traffic, the candidates offer different solutions.

Kitchin wants the county to oversee traffic studies tied to development.

"Making that small tweak on literally just like who is paying the salary of the traffic engineer, I think, would actually do a whole lot to help our traffic situation as things get built," Kitchin said.

Pickard says congestion requires regional cooperation and expanded transit options.

"Traffic is a regional issue, so we actually need to work with our regional partners in our other counties as they develop and grow," Pickard said.

Smith says local government should move faster on infrastructure projects.

"If it's an issue, if it's a safety issue, I don't care if it's a state road. Let's solve the problem," Smith said.

Public safety

Public safety is another shared priority.

Pickard supports adding firefighters through the budget and pursuing additional federal funding. Kitchin says the county should explore a dedicated funding source. Smith has proposed adding roughly 350 firefighters over the next decade, saying staffing has not kept pace with growth.

The Democratic primary is June 23. The winner will face Republican Dave Crawford in November.