u/kirbyCase

Hey y'all, I'm sharing my guide to the upcoming democratic primaries in HoCo. I've shared something like this with my friends and family the last two cycles but thought I'd share publicly this time. It contains my recommendations on who to vote for in the upcoming primaries.

As you'll see in the guide, my top priority is housing. I'd like to see a county council and executive who understand the importance of getting more housing built in the county by tackling the barriers to development. I walk through my reasoning on every race, both strategic and policy focused.

For context, I grew up in HoCo though I now live in MoCo. I work professionally in housing policy, I have been active in local politics in both counties, and I write this data focused blog on housing and transportation. I hope the guide is helpful!

https://perfectnumbers.substack.com/p/2026-howard-county-primary-election?r=cuvwz&triedRedirect=true

A post earlier today asked who everyone here is planning to vote for in the June Primaries. Here's my pitch:

If right now you're leaning towards voting for Glass, vote for Friedson instead. If you're planning to vote for Friedson, understand that if new polling or other evidence comes out showing Glass ahead, you should switch your vote. And if you're planning on voting for Jawando, I'd beg you to reconsider.

The central question facing Montgomery County is whether we are going to embrace growth and economic dynamism, or continue down a path of stagnation. Housing costs are rising because we do not build enough housing. Budget pressures are worsening because the county is struggling to grow its economic base.

In my view, Will Jawando is a continuation of the policy status quo that has completely failed. Andrew Friedson is the better choice, aiming to remove regulatory barriers to housing construction, create more efficient and effective public services, and expand economic opportunity. Evan Glass is also great. He's broadly aligned with Friedson with a distinctive focus on transportation safety, but he's less likely than Friedson to win in my view, due to lesser fundraising and endorsements.

I am fearful that a pro-growth majority in the County will be split between two good candidates, leading to a Jawando victory.

Let me know your thoughts and check out my new blog post to read by full thoughts on the race and how other powerful MD Dems are not helping.

https://open.substack.com/pub/perfectnumbers/p/montgomery-county-cant-afford-another?r=cuvwz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

"Long Branch, Md. — On Tuesday April 21st at the Long Branch Community Recreation Center, Montgomery County planners rolled out poster boards and sticky notes to collect feedback from neighbors on the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan — a document that, if adopted, will guide land use, housing, and transportation in some of Montgomery county’s densest and most diverse neighborhoods for the next three decades..."

Check out my reporting on the event and some context on the plan. And if you live in Eastern Silver Spring, go to Montgomery Plannings page and provide feedback on the plan!

https://open.substack.com/pub/perfectnumbers/p/montgomery-planning-previews-a-30?r=cuvwz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true