Why It Matters
Maryland’s Green Party has fielded its largest slate in recent years, with candidates running for Congress, statewide office, and county positions. The party faces a critical threshold: its gubernatorial nominee must capture at least 1% of the general election vote to maintain ballot access without gathering petition signatures in future cycles.
What Happened
The Maryland Green Party announced eight nominees for the 2026 general election after conducting an online primary over two weeks. The party, which has operated for more than 25 years and counts roughly 6,100 registered members in a state of 4.3 million voters, held its nominating convention on July 11 and posted the slate to its website Wednesday.
Andy Ellis will carry the party’s banner in the gubernatorial race. Owen Andrews is the lieutenant governor nominee. Three congressional candidates are competing: Nancy Wallace in the 8th District, Sam Husseini in the 4th District, and Moshe Landman in the 6th District. At the state and county level, Nater Kane seeks the Howard County executive position, Renaud Brown is running for delegate in Baltimore’s 45th District, and Artiium Arbyummi is competing for a Charles County commissioner seat.
None of the eight nominees faced opposition during the party’s online selection process. The Green Party must file its final candidate list with the Maryland State Board of Elections by August 3. Democratic and Republican primary results are scheduled to be certified by state election officials Thursday.
Ellis framed the campaign as part of a longer strategy. “The goal is to have the best third-party campaign since Reconstruction. I think we’re on a good pace to do that,” he said, adding that his vision spans roughly 25 years of party-building.
By the Numbers
8 — nominees for state and federal office
6,100 — registered Green Party members in Maryland
4.3 million — total registered voters in Maryland
1% — minimum share of gubernatorial vote needed to retain ballot status without petitions
0.73% — percentage of the gubernatorial vote received by Nancy Wallace, a Green candidate, in the last election cycle
August 3 — deadline for submitting candidate list to the State Board of Elections
Zoom Out
Third parties in Maryland operate outside the state-run primary system and must either gather petition signatures or meet vote thresholds to retain ballot status. The Green Party’s 1% threshold for the governor’s race is a standard benchmark in many states. The party’s baseline of roughly 6,100 registered members represents a small fraction of the state’s voting population, yet the slate demonstrates an effort to compete across multiple levels of office—a strategy that has become more visible among third parties seeking to build institutional presence in recent election cycles.
Meanwhile, major-party spending in statewide and congressional races continues to climb. In the 8th Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Jamie Raskin faces Republican Cheryl Riley and Green nominee Wallace. The 4th District will pit Democratic incumbent Glenn Ivey against Republican nominee George McDermott and Husseini. In the 6th District, Democratic incumbent April McClain Delaney—who previously contributed $11 million to her own campaign—faces Republican Robin Ficker and Landman.
What’s Next
The Green Party’s focus will shift to general election campaigning and reaching the 1% threshold in the gubernatorial race. Ellis emphasized the party’s commitment to its organizing work, saying, “We believe that this work is important, we believe that this work is based on people, and we’re not afraid of anybody.” Ballot access for future cycles depends on meeting that benchmark, making the November results consequential for the party’s long-term viability in Maryland politics.