Annapolis Election 2025 Voter Guide: Meet Candidates For Mayor, Alderman

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis voters will head to the polls Tuesday for the general election, casting their ballots for the next mayor and eight aldermen on the city council.

The mayoral race between Jared Littmann (D) and Robert O'Shea (R) is the most high-profile contest. Term-limited Mayor Gavin Buckley (D) cannot run for re-election, meaning the city will have a new top elected official.

Littmann is a lawyer and an engineer who owns K&B Ace Hardware with his wife. He was also the Ward 5 alderman from 2013 to 2017. Littmann, the first candidate to enter the race, bills himself as a savvy businessman with a passion for environmentalism. Littmann defeated Rhonda Pindell Charles, an attorney and the current Ward 3 alderwoman, in the September primary election.

O'Shea is a business consultant in the defense and medical industries. O'Shea paints himself as an outspoken critic of the status quo. He aspires to protect historic charm and cut wasteful spending by the city.

All but two races for city council are contested. Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson (D-Ward 4) and Robert Savidge (D-Ward 7) do not have opponents, so they just need one vote to win their seats.

Savidge is among a few incumbents vying for another term. The others are Democrats Karma O'Neill (Ward 2) and Brooks Schandelmeier (Ward 5). Democrat Harry Huntley is the current alderman in Ward 1, but this is his first time seeking election, as he was appointed to the office when former Alderwoman Elly Tierney (D) retired in September 2024.

Meet The Candidates

All the candidates are listed below. Click anybody's name to learn more.

Patch invited every candidate to fill out a questionnaire. The names of candidates who completed the survey are linked to their responses. The following candidates did not fill out our questionnaire, so their names are linked to their campaign websites: Keanuú Smith-Brown (D-Ward 3), Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson (D-Ward 4), Jack Papaleonti (R-Ward 5) and Diesha Contee (D-Ward 6).

Ward boundaries have changed in recent years. Voters can see which ward they live in by using this tool.

Mayor

• Jared Littmann (D)
• Robert O’Shea (R)

Ward 1

• Harry Huntley (D)
• Thomas Krieck (Unaffiliated)

Ward 2

• Karma O’Neill (D)
• Kenneth G. Vincent (R)

Ward 3

• Keanuú Smith-Brown (D)
• Michael Dye (Unaffiliated)

Ward 4

• Janice Elaine Allsup-Johnson (D)

Ward 5

• Brooks Schandelmeier (D)
• Jack Papaleonti (R)

Ward 6

• Diesha Contee (D)
• George M. Gallagher (R)

Ward 7

• Robert Savidge (D)

Ward 8

• Frank Thorp (D)
• Will Cunha (Unaffiliated)

In-Person, Drop Box Voting

There is no early voting for this election. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at eight polling locations citywide:

• Ward 1 – City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester St.
• Ward 2 – Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, 1410 West St.
• Ward 3 – Mt. Olive Community Life Center, 2 Hicks Ave.
• Ward 4 – American Legion Post #141, 1707 Forest Drive
• Ward 5 – Roger “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane
• Ward 6 – Eastport Community Center, 1014 President St.
• Ward 7 – Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library, 269 Hillsmere Drive
• Ward 8 – Eastport Volunteer Fire Hall, 914 Bay Ridge Ave.

Voters must go to their assigned polling place. Residents cannot vote in person at a polling place outside their ward, except through a provisional ballot.

Drop boxes are available at each polling place to return mail-in ballots. Ballots submitted by drop box must be placed in a bin by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Mail-in ballots can be returned to any drop box in the city. Voters can return their ballot to a drop box in a different ward if they wish.

When To Expect Results

The City of Annapolis will release tallies from in-person voting on Election Day later that evening. Unofficial results will be counted at City Hall after polls close at 8 p.m. Poll watchers are welcome to attend and watch the process as election judges report out the preliminary totals from in-person voting.

It will take longer, however, to tabulate all the mail-in and drop box ballots.

Beginning Thursday, the Annapolis Board of Supervisors of Elections will convene at the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections offices at 6740 Baymeadow Drive in Glen Burnie to begin the official canvass. Candidates and poll watchers are welcome to attend and watch the process.

Once complete, the city will announce vote totals from:

• Drop box ballots.
• Verified provisional ballots.
• Mail-in ballots received to date.

By law, mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and received by 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 will be counted as part of the official vote total. At that time, all counted votes will be certified.

Anybody with issues can contact the Elections Hotline at 410-263-7929.

For more details on voter registration deadlines and polling locations, visit annapolis.gov/2125/2025-Elections-Information.