Mary Washington is the Democratic state senator for Maryland District 43, in office since January 2019, and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election. She previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2011 to 2019.[1][2]
Washington was born in Philadelphia, graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls, and earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1997.[1]Her career experience includes teaching sociology at Lehigh University.[1]
Washington represented District 43 in the House of Delegates from 2011 to 2019, when she took office in the state Senate.[1]In the 2025-2026 term she is Senate chair of the Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Committee and of the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Committee, and she serves on the Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee.[1]She advanced from the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety159 with · 2 against161 votes
On the version voted Apr 13, 2026: Bars local jails, with exceptions, from certain cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, requires state prisons to notify federal authorities within 48 hours before releasing people with immigration detainers, and limits police sharing of information with immigration authorities without a court order.
On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Broadens the definition of nonprofit housing corporation (501(c)(3), primarily affordable housing) for State and local tax and special assessment exemptions and extends them to subsidiaries. Excludes Baltimore City property and projects that received local government funding before July 1, 2026.
Apr 8, 2026 · Passed 24–17 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 3, 2025: Creates a state farm program recognizing farmers who adopt conservation practices, with at least $900,000 a year through 2030, and changes laws on healthy soils, fish sales, water quality monitoring, fishery plans, aquaculture leases, watershed restoration, water quality trading and stream restoration.
On the version voted Mar 26, 2026: Requires the University System of Maryland to study how climate change relates to homeowner's insurance availability and cost and to disaster preparedness, reporting by July 1, 2027, with up to $100,000 from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund.
Requires health occupations licensees and certificate holders to attest to completing implicit bias and structural racism training at first renewal after April 1, 2026. A state competency program approves the training programs.
Allows the Opioid Restitution Fund to pay operating and personnel costs of the Attorney General's Opioids Enforcement Unit for investigations and enforcement tied to opioid judgments and settlements, through June 2029. Requires an annual report on the unit's investigations and lawsuits.
Creates a state program of grants for organizations providing abortion care to people without sufficient resources, funded by moving excess money from insurers' segregated abortion-coverage accounts, with $2 million allocated by October 1, 2025.
On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Broadens the definition of nonprofit housing corporation (501(c)(3), primarily affordable housing) for State and local tax and special assessment exemptions and extends them to subsidiaries. Excludes Baltimore City property and projects that received local government funding before July 1, 2026.
Apr 8, 2026 · Passed 24–17 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Mar 13, 2025: Allows fair housing testers working for government or qualifying nonprofit civil rights programs to record conversations they take part in to gather evidence of housing discrimination, and limits use of those recordings to enforcing fair housing laws.
Requires local planning commissions to notify the Maryland Department of Planning when they begin their required 10-year review of a local comprehensive plan, and requires the department to send guidance on state laws and best practices within 60 days.
On the version voted Apr 7, 2025: Reduces state funding for the Coordinated Community Supports Partnership Fund and the per-pupil foundation amount for school aid, delays required teacher collaborative time, creates teacher development and recruitment grant programs, changes community school rules and otherwise revises the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.
On the version voted Apr 1, 2025: Revises the Blueprint for Maryland's Future school funding plan: lowers the per-pupil foundation amount and community supports funding, delays required teacher collaborative time, creates teacher recruitment and development grants, joins an interstate teacher mobility compact, and changes community school rules.
Mar 31, 2025 · Failed 14–30 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Reduces from three years to two the number of years an undocumented student or their parent or guardian must have filed Maryland income tax returns to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges under the Dream Act.
Requires electric vehicle charging stations to post a local contact, sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, and charge customers only for energy delivered, while allowing separate itemized service fees.
On the version voted Mar 17, 2025: Creates the Maryland Connectivity Coalition to improve wildlife habitat connectivity and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Requires local governments to consider wildlife movement in comprehensive plans, with planning, natural resources and highway agencies supplying information.
Requires the Maryland Transit Administration to offer free Purple Line rides for the first month to residents within a quarter mile of the line, and free promotional help to nearby small businesses beginning October 1, 2025.
Bars food retailers and third-party food delivery services from using dynamic pricing or personal data to raise prices for a consumer, or protected class data to deny benefits. Violations are unfair trade practices without a private right of action.
Reduces how often the Attorney General must report on recovering damages from the Port of Baltimore closure and Key Bridge collapse, from monthly to every six months.
Voted against most of their party on 5 of 432 party-divided votes on file.
General Provisions - Commemorative Months - Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage Months
Amends the bill to replace the Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage months with a single All Religions Month, which the Governor must proclaim each April. (AI-written)
What it does: Requires the Governor to proclaim January each year as Muslim American Heritage Month and May as Jewish American Heritage Month, urging educational and cultural groups to observe them with programs and activities.
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 6–25, Republicans 13–0
Nonprofit Housing Corporations - Taxes and Special Assessments Exemptions - Alterations
What it does: On the version voted Mar 28, 2026: Broadens the definition of nonprofit housing corporation (501(c)(3), primarily affordable housing) for State and local tax and special assessment exemptions and extends them to subsi…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 24–4, Republicans 0–13
Baltimore County - Speed Monitoring Systems - Interstate 695 and Interstate 83
What it does: Lets the State Highway Administration run up to eight speed cameras on I-695 and six on I-83 in Baltimore County at high-crash locations, caps fines at $40, uses the money for program costs and road safety improvement…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 27–7, Republicans 3–10
What it does: On the version voted Apr 1, 2025: Revises the Blueprint for Maryland's Future school funding plan: lowers the per-pupil foundation amount and community supports funding, delays required teacher collaborative time, cre…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 1–30, Republicans 13–0
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 2100 · MD SENATE
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
YesVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · Bill is on Third Reading for Final Passage.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
NoVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · Floor Amendment West /943226/1
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
YesVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.73 · (Const) · Suspended Rule 24 to allow two readings of a bill in the same day
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.
Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 - Withdraw and Repeal of Duplicate Proposed Constitutional Amendment
YesVOTED
Motion: Third Reading (HB) Calendar No.72 · (Emerg) · Suspended Rule 24 to allow two readings of a bill in the same day
Repeals a duplicate proposed constitutional amendment on collective bargaining for State employees, so only one copy appears on the November 2026 ballot. An identical amendment in another act stays on the ballot. Takes effect immediately as an emergency.
Election Districts - General Assembly and Representatives in Congress
YesVOTED
Motion: Education, Energy, and the Environment Report No. 54 · (Const) · Motion to limit debate
On the version voted Aug 3, 2026: Proposes a constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot stating that the Maryland Constitution sets no criteria for congressional district lines, that its districting standards apply only to legislative districts, and that lawmakers may give the state Supreme Court original review of congressional maps.