Ron Watson is a Democratic Maryland state senator from District 23 who has held the seat since August 2021 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2]A U.S. Army Reserve veteran with a Ph.D. in systems science, he works in business management and IT consulting.[1][3]
Ron Watson was born in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 1966, and graduated from Central Senior High School in 1984.[3]He earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from Morgan State University in 1991, a Ph.D. in systems science from Binghamton University in 1999, and an M.B.A. from George Washington University in 2002.[3]Watson served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1989 to 2006, reaching the rank of major.[3]His career included program-management roles at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems, IBM Global Services and MCR, and since 2004 he has been president and senior program manager of Watson Management Corporation.[3]
Watson was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in District 23B, serving from 2019 to 2021.[1]Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, appointed him to the state Senate in August 2021 to fill the vacancy created when Douglas Peters resigned.[1]Watson serves on the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, according to the General Assembly website.[3]
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 safety147 with · 28 against175 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.
Apr 10, 2026 · Failed 18–24 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Lets people, or the Attorney General, sue armed officers with federal arrest powers who, acting under color of law, violate rights under the U.S. Constitution or federal law, seeking damages and court orders within five years; excludes state and local officers on federal task forces.
Mar 19, 2026 · Failed 15–25 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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.
On the version voted Mar 30, 2026: Adjusts state finances for the fiscal 2027 budget by cutting or delaying mandated spending, shifting some teacher pension costs to counties, limiting certain federal depreciation tax breaks, and moving money among state funds, among other changes.
Mar 17, 2026 · Failed 20–24 · 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.
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.
Mar 17, 2025 · Passed 29–15 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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.
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.
Apr 8, 2026 · Failed 15–25 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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.
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.
Apr 13, 2026 · Failed 15–31 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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 private passenger auto insurers from requiring vehicle-monitoring programs or using their data to cancel, not renew or refuse to underwrite, requires disclosure and a data-correction process, and directs regulations limiting data collected by July 1, 2027. Applies from January 1, 2027.
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 44 of 459 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Rights & public safety (26), Climate & energy (6), Jobs & cost of living (5)
Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility
What it does: 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 Dr…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 2–31, Republicans 13–0
Amends the bill to provide that its section on private detention facilities does not apply to the federal government's lease of private land for use as a detention facility. (AI-written)
What it does: On the version voted Apr 11, 2026: Bars the state and local governments from approving construction or operation of privately run detention facilities, including immigration detention, and bars private entities from o…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–25, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–25, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
Amends the bill to add people arrested for a crime involving a minor victim, or for abuse, to the "covered individuals" who are exempt from some of its limits on jail cooperation with federal immigration authorities. (AI-written)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–24, Republicans 13–0
Correctional Services and Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)
What it does: 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 releasin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–24, 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.