Sara Love is a Democratic member of the Maryland State Senate from District 16 who was appointed in June 2024 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1][2]An attorney and former public policy director for the ACLU of Maryland, she previously served in the House of Delegates.[1]
Love was born in Evanston, Illinois, on April 6, 1967, and earned a bachelor's degree in American history from Princeton University in 1989 and a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1992.[1]She clerked for Judge Timothy K. Lewis of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, was a litigation associate in Chicago, and was general counsel of the National Women's Health Foundation from 1998 to 2004.[1]She was public policy director of ACLU of Maryland from 2012 to 2016 and served on its board, including as president from 2008 to 2012.[1]
Love served in the House of Delegates from 2019 to 2024 on the Environment and Transportation Committee, chairing its Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee in 2023 and 2024.[1]Gov. Wes Moore appointed her to the Senate in June 2024 to replace Sen. Ariana Kelly, and she has been a member since June 13, 2024.[1][2]She serves on the Judicial Proceedings Committee, is vice chair of the Montgomery County Senate Delegation, and sits on the Chesapeake Bay Commission.[1]She advanced from the Democratic primary on June 23, 2026.[2]
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 safety172 with · 5 against177 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 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.
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.
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.
Apr 1, 2025 · Failed 16–26 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
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.
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 the state housing department to study condominium buildings over 40 years old, including owners' ages and incomes and reserve fund shortfalls, and report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.
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.
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.
On the version voted Apr 13, 2026: Requires retail electric vehicle chargers to sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, charge only for electricity delivered, and post a local contact; lets owners add a fixed or time-based service fee, charged at the end of a session and itemized on the receipt.
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 13 of 456 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Transportation (7), Rights & public safety (4), Housing & rent (2)
Criminal Procedure - District Court - Issuance of Summonses and Arrest Warrants
What it does: Bars court commissioners from issuing arrest warrants on criminal complaints filed by private citizens, allowing summonses instead; requires such complaints be sworn under penalty of perjury, raises the penalty for fa…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 29–4, Republicans 6–7
Criminal Procedure - District Court - Issuance of Summonses and Arrest Warrants
What it does: Bars court commissioners from issuing arrest warrants on criminal complaints filed by private citizens, allowing summonses instead; requires such complaints be sworn under penalty of perjury, raises the penalty for fa…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 5–28, Republicans 7–6
Vehicle Laws - Bus Obstruction Monitoring Systems and Bus Stop Zones
What it does: Bans stopping, standing or parking in bus stop zones and lets automated bus-lane cameras, renamed bus obstruction monitoring systems, issue citations for those violations.
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 29–1, Republicans 3–9
Evidence - Interception of Oral Communications - Fair Housing Testing
What it does: Makes it lawful for a fair housing tester to record an oral communication they are part of, in a government or nonprofit civil rights testing program, to gather evidence of fair housing violations; use of the recordin…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 29–2, Republicans 1–10
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.
