How Much Do We Pay Our Elected Officials?

From the U.S. Senate Chamber in Washington, DC to the Town Council meeting room in Kensington, officials elected by Montgomery County citizens represent their constituents in matters large and small. Not only do we elect them, we also pay them—through our tax dollars. But just how much do they earn?

We took a deep dive into all levels of government to find the salaries paid to officials elected by county voters. Some officials are compensated well, others poorly. You may be surprised by just how much, or how little, compensation your representatives receive. Let’s take a look!

FEDERAL OFFICIALS

U.S. Representatives: $174,000
Jamie Raskin, April McClain Delaney, Glenn Ivey

U.S. Senators: $174,000
Chris Van Hollen, Angela Alsobrooks

Members of the U.S. Congress are all paid the same. It is considered a full-time job and offers a substantial benefits package in addition to the salary.

STATE OF MARYLAND OFFICIALS

Maryland Senators: $54,437
Katie Fry Hester, Craig J. Zucker, Brian J. Feldman, Sara N. Love, Cheryl Kagan, Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher, Benjamin F. Kramer, William C. Smith, Jr., Nancy J. King

Maryland State Delegates: $54,437
Chao Wu, Natalie C. Ziegler, Anne R. Kaiser, Bernice D. Mireku-North, Pamela E. Queen, Linda K. Foley, David V. Fraser-Hidalgo, Lily Qi, Marc A. Korman, Sarah S. Wolek, Teresa S. Woorman, Julie Palakovich Carr, Ryan S. Spiegel, Joseph Vogel, Aaron M. Kaufman, Emily K. Shetty, Jared Solomon, Charlotte A. Crutchfield, Bonnie L. Cullison, Vaughn M. Stewart III, Lorig Charkoudian, David H. Moon, Jheanelle K. Wilkins, Gabriel Acevero, Lesley J. Lopez, W. Gregory Wims

The officials listed here are from districts that include all or parts of Montgomery County. Though the role demands a substantial time commitment, Maryland state lawmakers are considered to hold a part-time position. Their classification is primarily due to the legislature's 90-day annual session. However, delegates are still engaged year-round with duties such as constituent support, interim committee work, and community involvement. A study from the National Conference of State Legislatures found that even outside of the session, Maryland legislators average at least 20 hours of work per week.

The modest salaries paid to Maryland state lawmakers are a deliberate choice, rooted in a tradition of fostering a citizen legislature. The concept is that ordinary individuals could briefly leave their professions for the 90-day legislative session to conduct state business. Once the session ends, they would resume their daily lives and occupations, which was intended to prevent the rise of a class of career politicians.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICIALS

County Executive: $209,621
Marc Elrich
The position is full-time and includes a substantial package of benefits in addition to salary.

Council President: $183,889
Kate Stewart

Council Members: $167,172
Gabe Albornoz, Marilyn Balcombe, Natali Fani-González, Andrew Friedson, Evan Glass, Will Jawando, Sidney Katz, Dawn Luedtke, Kristin Mink, Laurie-Anne Sayles

Montgomery County Council members hold a full-time position, a status confirmed by a 2006 ballot measure. In addition to a salary more than double the county's median individual income, they receive a substantial benefits package. The role's demanding schedule includes full sessions on Tuesdays, committee meetings on Mondays and Thursdays, and frequent evening meetings for public hearings and community forums. Council members regularly attend weekend community festivals, school events, and other local activities throughout the year.

Board of Education Members $25,000 ($29,000 for President, $25,000 scholarship for Student Member)
Julie Yang (President), Grace Rivera-Oven, Karla Silvestre, Rita Montoya, Brenda Wolff, Laura Stewart, Natalie Zimmerman, Anuva Maloo (Student Member)

A member of the Montgomery County Board of Education does not hold a full-time position in an official capacity. However, based on public discussions and statements from board members themselves, the role often requires a full-time commitment of hours. Board members and County Council members have publicly debated whether the role should be officially designated as full-time, citing the extensive workload.

Other County Elected Positions (full-time with substantial benefits)

Circuit Court Judge: $204,433
Clerk of the Circuit Court: $146,500
Register of Wills: $115,000
Sheriff: $122,285

MUNICIPALITIES

Montgomery County has nineteen municipalities, and in all but five their elected officials serve without compensation.  The largest cities pay modest salaries, most no additional benefits, to their part-time officials, and those roles require a significant time commitment. Mayors and Council members are expected to attend meetings, public hearings, and community events, in addition to responding to constituents.

City of Rockville

Mayor: $39,662.86
Monique Ashton

Council Members: $32,190
Kate Fulton, Barry Jackson, David Myles, Izola (Zola) Shaw, Marissa Valeri, Adam Van Grack

City of Gaithersburg

Mayor: $38,288
Jud Ashman

Council Members: $30,631
Yamil Hernández, Neil Harris, Lisa Henderson, Jim McNulty, Robert T. Wu

City of Gaithersburg officials also receive $4,851 each year that can be used toward the purchase of City benefits. Funds not used may be credited to the elected official’s 457 Deferred Compensation Plan or be taken as salary in each payroll period.

City of Takoma Park

Mayor: $34,109
Talisha Searcy.

Council Members: $25,582
Jessica Landman, Cindy Dyballa, Roger Schlegel, Kurt Gilbert, Cara Honzak, Amy Wesolek.

Town of Kensington

Mayor: $12,000
Tracey C. Furman

Council Members: $3,000
Nathan L. Engle, Ann M. Lichter, Conor D. Crimmins, Stuart C. Sparker

Town of Somerset

Mayor: $15,000
Jeffrey Zane Slavin

As this deep dive into the salaries of elected officials shows, there is a wide range of compensation for those serving Montgomery County citizens. From the six-figure salaries of federal and county representatives to the minimal stipends of municipal mayors and council members, the compensation often doesn't align with the time commitment and responsibilities of the role. These varying pay scales reflect a complex mix of historical traditions, local governance structures, and the perceived value of different political offices, all of which ultimately impact who can afford to run for office and how they serve.

The Reality of Part-Time Legislatures and "Career Politicians"

The United States' earliest state legislatures were created to be accessible to average citizens, not just wealthy elites or career politicians. Maryland adopted this model to keep lawmakers connected to their communities and responsive to their constituents' needs. The goal was for lawmakers to be "citizens first" with careers and lives outside of politics, which would, in theory, discourage the rise of career politicians and entrenched political elites who might prioritize personal ambition or special interests over their constituents.

A career politician is someone whose primary work experience and professional background are in elected office, political campaigns, government staff roles, or public administration. These individuals have built their careers within the political sphere rather than transitioning into it from other sectors like business, non-profits, education, or journalism.

Some argue that the idea of running a government the size of Maryland or Montgomery County with part-time lawmakers is an outdated concept from the 18th century. While the practicality of this model today is certainly debatable, the rise of a class of career politicians and entrenched elites is not. A review of the backgrounds of Maryland and Montgomery County's current elected officials shows that a majority are, in fact, career politicians. It is a non-partisan phenomenon. Montgomery County's full-time model virtually guarantees this outcome with just a few exceptions. Even in our cities, we see upwardly mobile politicians aspiring to larger roles in political leadership.

Sources:

City of Rockville, 2023 Compensation Commission Report
City of Gaithersburg, City Charter
City of Takoma Park, Salary and Benefits https://takomaparkmd.gov/2283/Salary-Benefits
Montgomery County, Maryland, Employee Salaries 2024
Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Education, Oct 30, 2024 Meeting Minutes
National Conference of State Legislators, 2024 Legislator Compensation
State of Maryland, Maryland Manual On-Line
Thomson Reuters Westlaw, Maryland Code and Court Rules
Town of Kensington, Financial Statement
Town of Somerset, 2024 Town Budget
United States Congress, Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables

CORRECTIONS: This article has been updated since the original to reflect that the Mayor of Somerset is Jeffrey Slavin. John Compton had been listed in error. Compton is the Mayor of Washington Grove and serves without compensation. The salary figures for Gaithersburg have been adjusted to reflect a 3.5% increase that went into effect July 1, 2025.