The county council vice president is typically next in line to be president, but Council Vice President Will Jawando, who is running for county executive in 2026, announced he will not seek the title of council president.
“Earlier this summer, I made the decision not to seek the council president role,” Jawando (D) said in a written statement Friday. “I believe the council president should be fully focused on serving the council and managing council operations. With my campaign for county executive underway, I knew I needed to make a choice about where to dedicate my time and energy.
“This year, I will focus on fulfilling my obligations as an at-large councilmember and committee chair, while working directly with families, public service workers, educators and business owners across the county to listen, learn and fight for the change they need,” he stated. “That’s different work from managing Council operations, and both deserve someone’s full attention.”
Jawando said serving as vice president alongside Council President Kate Stewart over the past year “has been an honor.”
The council’s election of a new president and vice president is expected in December.
Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (D) and Evan Glass (D) are also running for County Executive, along with Democrat Mithun Banerjee and Republican Shelly Skolnick.
