08-04-2025
Political Notes: State's Attorney Charlie Smith, local state delegates file for reelection
Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith, a Republican who took office in 2007, will seek a sixth term in 2026.
If he is reelected, Smith would be on track to tie Robert Salter Rothenhoefer as the county's longest-serving State's Attorney. Rothenhoefer, a Democrat, held the office for 23 years — from 1959 to 1982, according to the Maryland Manual.
In a phone interview on Monday, Smith said that unlike other positions in government, he views the state's attorney as a career position.
'It's something I still have a passion for, and something I want to continue to do is make Frederick County a safer place to live and work,' Smith said.
Smith filed as a candidate for reelection on March 13, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. He said he told his staff about his reelection bid at a meeting that same month.
'My staff is always on edge every time four years comes around,' Smith said. 'So I like to let them know that I really would like to continue to lead them and lead this office for at least another term.'
In recent years, Smith said some of his office's biggest accomplishments have been the establishment of the Mental Health Court Program in 2019 and the formation of the INTERCEPT Task Force in 2023 to combat child exploitation and human trafficking.
He said both of these efforts would remain a priority of his in a sixth term. Smith also said his office would continue to push for better public safety legislation at the state level if he is reelected.
As of Monday, no one else had filed as a candidate for Frederick County State's Attorney in 2026. The deadline to file is Feb. 24, 2026, at 9 p.m.
District 3 candidates
Three state delegates representing District 3 in Frederick County filed on Monday to run for reelection in 2026.
State Dels. Kris Fair, Ken Kerr and Karen Simpson — all Democrats — announced their filings in a joint press release on Monday, the last day of the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session.
Both Fair and Simpson took office in 2023 and are seeking a second term.
'I could not be prouder to file today with my colleagues as we continue to produce the much-needed resources for our community, the fastest-growing county and city in Maryland,' Fair said in the release.
'We work well as a team,' Simpson said in the release. 'We look forward to continuing to serve Frederick.'
Kerr, who took office in 2019, is seeking a third term.
'Delegates Fair and Simpson are effective legislators who take on complex bills and work them skillfully through the legislative process,' Kerr said in the release. 'I am proud to serve with them and stand with them for re-election.'
Other legislative districts
As of Monday, no one else had filed as a candidate for state delegate or state senator in District 3 or District 4, which is also in Frederick County.
In District 2A, which includes parts of Frederick and Washington counties, Republicans William Wivell and William Valentine have also filed for reelection. Wivell took office in 2015, while Valentine took office in 2023.
In District 5, which includes parts of Frederick and Carroll counties, two Republican candidates have filed to run for state delegate in 2026 — Sallie Taylor and Steve Whisler.
Taylor previously ran for state delegate in the district in 2022, but lost in the Republican primary.
Whisler currently is the vice president of the Carroll County Board of Education. His term in that role will expire in December 2026, according to the board website.
