Candidate Ratings | Protect Calvert

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Formal transparency ratings will be published once the questionnaire period has closed and due diligence is complete. Position labels shown below are based on documented public record only - voting history, public statements, campaign materials, and signed documents. No transparency score has been assigned.

📄 Download the candidate questionnaire - candidates who need a copy can download it here and return it to info@protectcalvert.org.

On the moratorium record

The Board of County Commissioners voted on data center moratorium proposals four times: March 3, April 7, June 2, and June 17, 2026. Commissioners Hart and Grasso voted in favor on every occasion. Commissioners Hance, Ireland, and Cox voted against on every occasion they were present. At the June 17 meeting, Commissioner Hance was absent; the vote ended 2-2 and failed. A community petition calling for a moratorium has collected nearly 9,000 signatures as of June 2026. Incumbents Hance, Ireland, and Cox Sr. did not advance past the June 23 primary.

Commissioner - At-Large

Two seats · November general election

General election field

Two Republican and two Democratic candidates advance to November. The top two vote-getters regardless of party will win the two At-Large seats.

Judy Pedersen

Democratic · At-Large

Joint statement signatoryNo voting record

Opposed

Voters guide statement: "I value transparency, oppose data centers." Signed joint candidate statement calling for immediate moratorium, ban on hyperscale development, and repeal of heavy industrial zoning amendments. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: Southern MD News voters guide, June 2026 · Joint candidate statement, June 2026 · View full profile

Antoine S. White

Democratic · At-Large

Joint statement signatoryNo voting record

Opposed

Signed joint candidate statement calling for immediate moratorium, ban on hyperscale development, and repeal of heavy industrial zoning amendments. Former Calvert County school board president. No individual public statement on data centers beyond the joint statement. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: Joint candidate statement, June 2026 · Southern MD News voters guide, June 2026 · View full profile

Patti Stueckler

Republican · At-Large

No voting record

Opposed

Campaign platform: "No data centers. Smart growth, stronger farms, thriving small businesses, and rural charm." At May 14 Republican forum: "Data centers are not an economic plan." Campaign materials and public statements consistent throughout. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: stuecklerforcalvert.com · Southern MD News, May 20, 2026 · Southern MD News voters guide, June 2026 · View full profile

Jason Scaggs

Republican · At-Large

No voting record⚠ Consistency concern

Conditional / Unclear

Maintains an active social media presence opposing data centers and has spoken at BOCC public hearings arguing residents deserve a greater voice - his remarks prompted a commissioner vote banning 90-day fast-track approvals. However, his campaign announcement attributes opposition to the public rather than stating it as his own position: "Today the voice of the public is clear: We don't want data centers in Calvert." More significantly, his campaign website proposes using projected AWS tax revenue for senior tax relief "if the current BOCC approves the Amazon project" - an explicit contingency plan for project approval that is difficult to reconcile with outright opposition. Did not respond to voters guide. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: The BayNet, June 2026 · scaggs4commissioner.com · Southern MD News voters guide, June 2026 · Facebook: Jason Scaggs · View full profile

Commissioner - District 1

One seat · November general election

Mike Hart

Republican · Incumbent · District 1

Voted for moratorium

Opposed

Moved for moratorium: Mar. 3, 2026. Voted for moratorium: Apr. 7, Jun. 2, and Jun. 17, 2026. Voters guide: "By spearheading a two-year data center moratorium, I am dedicated to protecting our community's rural character and your wallet." At June 17 meeting: "The only way to rebuild trust is to listen to what they say. They want a moratorium. Put it in." Voting record and public statements consistent throughout. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: The BayNet, Apr. 8, 2026 · The BayNet, Jun. 18, 2026 · Southern MD News voters guide, June 2026 · View full profile

Ethan Cox

Democratic · District 1

Joint statement signatoryNo voting record

Opposed

Publicly stated: "You have a county under attack by multiple corporations." On the NDA: "Signing an NDA with a government is signing an agreement with the people. Keeping that from the people is unacceptable." Signed joint statement calling for moratorium, ban on hyperscale development, and repeal of heavy industrial zoning amendments. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: Southern MD News, Mar. 23, 2026 · The BayNet, May 8, 2026 · Joint candidate statement, June 2026 · View full profile

Commissioner - District 2

One seat · Uncontested in November

Uncontested race

Kenneth B. Lee is the only candidate on the November ballot in District 2. No Democratic candidate filed. Lee will be the next District 2 commissioner regardless of the outcome of this questionnaire process. His response - or non-response - is documented here as a matter of public record.

Kenneth B. Lee

Republican · District 2 · Uncontested

No voting record

Opposed

Campaign website leads with: "STOP DATA CENTERS! Data centers will cost Calvert County residents outrageous amounts of money. They will destroy our beautiful waterways and ruin the watermen's livelihoods." At May 14 Republican forum stated he is a "hell no" on data centers in Calvert. Initially filed for At-Large before switching to District 2 to challenge incumbent Mark Cox Sr., whom he defeated in the primary. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: kennethleeforcalvertcommissioner.com · Southern MD News, May 20, 2026 · View full profile

Commissioner - District 3

One seat · November general election

Catherine M. Grasso

Republican · Incumbent · District 3

Voted for moratorium

Opposed

Voted for moratorium: Apr. 7, Jun. 2, and Jun. 17, 2026. Proposed an additional moratorium motion at the May 5 meeting. At June 17 meeting: "I don't think data centers have a place in Calvert County. I don't trust the process." At May 14 forum: "If you don't want data centers, I don't want data centers." Voting record and public statements consistent throughout. Did not respond to voters guide. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: The BayNet, Apr. 8, 2026 · The BayNet, Jun. 18, 2026 · Southern MD News, May 20, 2026 · View full profile

Michael Bennett

Democratic · District 3

Joint statement signatoryNo voting record

Opposed

Signed joint candidate statement calling for immediate moratorium, ban on hyperscale development, and repeal of heavy industrial zoning amendments. Stated at Farm Bureau forum he would "fight the construction of data centers" in Calvert County. Questionnaire sent - response pending.

Sources: Joint candidate statement, June 2026 · Southern MD News, May 6, 2026 · View full profile

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Primary election - did not advance

The following candidates ran in the June 23, 2026 Republican primary but did not advance to the general election. Their documented positions and any questionnaire responses are preserved here for the public record.

Earl "Buddy" Hance

Republican · At-Large · Incumbent · Did not advance

Voted against moratorium: Apr. 7 and Jun. 2, 2026. Absent Jun. 17 - vote ended 2-2 and failed. Signed NDAs without public disclosure. Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.

Todd Ireland

Republican · At-Large · Incumbent · Did not advance

Voted against moratorium: Apr. 7, Jun. 2, and Jun. 17, 2026. Defended NDAs as "standard economic development practice." Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.

Barbara J. Warner

Republican · At-Large · Challenger · Did not advance

Returned completed Protect Calvert questionnaire on June 21, 2026. Selected "pause needed" on AWS proposal. Supported I-2 zoning restriction.

📄 View questionnaire response

Alexes N. Jones

Democratic · At-Large · Challenger · Did not advance

No documented public statement on data center development found. Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.

Mark C. Cox, Sr.

Republican · District 2 · Incumbent · Did not advance

Voted against moratorium: Apr. 7, Jun. 2, and Jun. 17, 2026. Proposed zoning restriction motions after April 7 vote. Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.

Patrick E. Flaherty

Republican · District 1 · Challenger · Did not advance

Returned completed Protect Calvert questionnaire on June 22, 2026. Most categorical position of any candidate - selected "prohibit data centers entirely" on zoning.

📄 View questionnaire response

Jennifer L. Brown

Republican · District 1 · Challenger · Did not advance

No documented public statement on data centers. Did not attend May 14 forum. Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.

Kelly D. McConkey

Republican · District 3 · Challenger · Did not advance

Focused May 14 forum remarks on taxes and county spending. No documented public statement on data center development. Did not respond to voters guide or Protect Calvert questionnaire.