Brandon Russell
for Commissioner
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If you believe in putting community first, we’d love to have you on the team!
Why I’m Running
For more than a decade, St. Mary’s County has had the same kind of leadership making the same decisions. The result? Rapid development without the infrastructure to support it. Schools facing uncertainty instead of investment. A local economy that isn’t as affordable as it should be.
Our elected officials have been reactive, not proactive. Too often, land-use policies have worked for developers instead of the people who actually live here. And when conversations turn to closing schools instead of strengthening them, it’s clearly time for change.
We can’t keep ignoring the voices of our community. With a strong vision and people at the center of every decision, we will deliver results for St. Mary’s County.
Issues & Priorities
We need proactive, accountable, and responsible leadership focused improving quality of life in St. Mary’s County.
I won’t be bought by developer donations, and I’ll put the health, welfare, and safety of our residents first.
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Zoning laws should work for residents. That means no industrial development near neighborhoods, discouraging over saturation of commercial uses, and supporting rural preservation to protect agri- and aquaculture. I’ll prioritize creating master plans for Town Centers that will control unwanted development. As Commissioner, I’ll act decisively to manage growth.
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St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ per-pupil funding is 23 out of 24 jurisdictions in Maryland. I’ll focus on student success by investing in schools instead of demanding their closure. As Commissioner, I won’t point the finger or deflect responsibility, I’ll work with the Board of Education and Superintendent to advocate for better State policy that serves students and staff alike.
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As Commissioner, I’ll work directly with community partners and government agencies to expand access to homeownership and medical care. I’ll examine ways to responsibly shift tax burdens to those profiting heavily from our community. Small, locally owned businesses diversify our economy, and I’ll promote policy to strengthen their ability to succeed. I’m invested in making sure everyone can afford to live and raise a family in St. Mary’s.
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I trust our first responders to serve the people well, and as Commissioner I want to ensure they have the resources to do it. Public safety is underfunded because of bad policy. I’ll push to update the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance to include fire, EMS, police, and health services. I’ll advocate to amend requirements of traffic studies, improving mitigation from new development.
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About Brandon
Brandon Russell was born and raised in St. Mary’s County. He attended White Marsh Elementary and Margaret Brent Middle School before graduating from Chopticon High School. He went on to earn two associate degrees from the College of Southern Maryland and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland University College.
Brandon comes from a hardworking family with deep roots in the community, including generations on his family’s farm in Clements. His father worked in the coal yards at Morgantown and Chalk Point power plants before passing away when Brandon was eighteen. His mother built an animal care small business, and his stepfather has spent more than three decades as a mechanic. From them, Brandon learned firsthand the discipline, determination, and responsibility that comes with hard work.
His career has focused on operations management, starting as a fast food assistant manager at eighteen and becoming a store manager for a national pharmacy chain by twenty-one. He later managed operations for a multi-state industrial small business and now works as a government contractor overseeing the management of taxpayer funds.
In 2022, Brandon founded Informed St. Mary’s to make local government more transparent and accessible. He believes residents deserve clear information and a real voice in decisions that affect their families, their neighborhoods and their future.
Brandon and his husband, Paul, have been together for eighteen years and proudly call Leonardtown home.
