Glen Burnie High Grad Running For County Council Eyes Affordable Housing

GLEN BURNIE, MD — A young public servant known for his work on local advisory boards is running for Anne Arundel County Council in District 2 in the 2026 election.

Democrat Will Shorter plans to tackle housing affordability and attainability by updating the zoning code. Other aspirations include continuing the revitalization of the Glen Burnie Town Center, addressing first responder retention rates, reducing recidivism with support programs and protecting waterways.

“We’re in a housing crisis and our generation is bearing the brunt of that,” Shorter, 28, told the Capital Gazette. “I would also say it isn’t isolated to one generation but affecting everyone and the future of what families look like as we go into the mid-21st century.”

Shorter launched his campaign earlier this month at the Arundel Golf Park in Glen Burnie. He's the first candidate to announce a bid for District 2, the Capital Gazette said.

Born and raised in District 2, Shorter is the son of a plumber and an Anne Arundel County Public Schools employee.

Shorter's advocacy started at Glen Burnie High School, where he served as the 2015 class president and sat on a countywide high school advisory board.

The first-generation college student attended the University of Baltimore, where he served as a student member of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.

County Executive Steuart Pittman later nominated Shorter to serve as the District 2 representative on the Anne Arundel County Public Library Board of Trustees. At age 23, Shorter became the youngest elected library board chair in the nation.

Shorter later earned a master's degree in public policy from the University of Maryland, College Park and a law degree from The George Washington University Law School.

He also served on the Glen Burnie Economic Revitalization Task Force and the Plan 2040 Citizen Advisory Committee.

Democratic Council Member Allison Pickard currently holds the District 2 seat. She could have run for a third term, but she instead opted to run for Anne Arundel County executive. She will face Democratic strategist and Pittman staffer James Kitchin in the primary election.

District 2 encompasses downtown Glen Burnie, Millersville and parts of Severn.

“Living here throughout my whole life, I’ve seen the impact of what leadership can mean for a community,” Shorter told the Capital Gazette. “I want to make sure that my home district — not just Glen Burnie but also the Millersville and Severn area — has a strong advocate for their needs on the Anne Arundel County Council.”

Voters can learn more at shorterwill.com.

The deadline to file as a candidate is Feb. 24, 2026. The primary election is on June 30, 2026, and the General Election is on Nov. 3, 2026.

To see Shorter's plans for education and mentorship, read the Capital Gazette's story. Only Capital Gazette subscribers are able to access the article, however.

Anybody with an Anne Arundel County Public Library card number can read the Capital Gazette's story at this link by searching "Will Shorter."

Related:

• County Executive Candidate James Kitchin Is 1st To Run On Public Campaign Dollars
• Pickard To Run For County Executive After Serving On Council, School Board