# Baltimore County School Board Candidates' Political Stances > Baltimore County school board candidates navigate partisan divides despite nonpartisan labels. - Title: Baltimore County School Board Candidates' Political Stances - Summary: Baltimore County school board candidates navigate partisan divides despite nonpartisan labels. - Keywords: baltimore county, school board, district 1, district 3, district 6, district 7, democrat, republican, unaffiliated, education, school board election, political stances - Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/baltimore-county-school-board-election-politics-OG2VIBGXCBAWTD3DBIDXLD6V2E - Author: Kristen Griffith - Published: 2026-10-12T14:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: baltimore county, school board, district 1, district 3, district 6, district 7, democrat, republican, unaffiliated, education, school board election, political stances ## Baltimore County School Board Race Baltimore County school board elections use nonpartisan labels despite growing political divides among candidates. > Using the word "nonpartisan" to describe Maryland school board elections is a formality at this point. ## Partisan Shifts in School Board Races Wearing masks in class during the pandemic created partisan divides, leading to local political groups supporting candidates. > Voters won’t see a "D" or "R" next to candidates’ names on the ballot, but party affiliation has become more visible in these races since the pandemic, when wearing a mask in class created a partisan divide. ## District 1 Candidates Candice Logan-Washington and Lisa Mack both registered as Democrats but emphasize bipartisan student-focused governance. > My democrat values are my values, but i have to work on behalf of all students. ## District 1 Political Views Mack focuses on board members’ voting records rather than party affiliation, claiming the current board has excessive political interference. > There might be somebody on a board who is a different party than i am, but as long as the person votes for children, i don’t really care about the rest. ## District 3 Candidates Maggie Litz Domanowski (Republican) and Kelli Slattery McClelland (Democrat) both prioritize student needs over party politics. > When i come down and sit at the board table, i don’t bring my politics. ## District 3 Political Views McClelland states her core values include a school system meeting every student’s needs, while Domanowski rejects party alignment in education decisions. > Anytime a person is sort of saying that their personal ideology doesn’t influence their decisions and their actions, is a person who’s maybe not super connected with their core values. ## District 6 Candidates Darren Badillo (Republican) and Christina Pumphrey (Democrat) both focus on student concerns and local engagement over party labels. > I tend to lean more republican, but voters should focus more on a candidate’s character, judgment, willingness to listen and ability to make decision that improve education outcomes. ## District 6 Political Views Pumphrey introduced a resolution supporting immigrant students’ rights without party affiliation. > Pumphrey did not respond to interview requests. ## District 7 Candidates Rod McMillion (Unaffiliated) and Stacy L. McNish (Democrat) both advocate for nonpartisan school board decisions. > There’s enough nonsense going on without board members or candidates feeling pressure doing what their party wants them to do. ## District 7 Political Views McMillion has $0.25 in his campaign bank account and rejects party influence on school board decisions. > The board member said the school board should be nonpartisan, like it was created to be. ## School Board Political Tensions School board meetings sometimes split along party lines, as seen in a February vote approving a $2.5 billion budget. > During a february vote to approve the school system’s $2.5 billion budget, four example, the four who opposed were either registered republicans or not affiliated with a political party, state records show. ## Key takeaway Baltimore County school board candidates face political tensions but emphasize student-focused decisions over party lines.