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Maryland, House of Delegates, District 21

Maryland House of Delegates District 21
Current incumbentBen Barnes Democratic Party
Mary Lehman Democratic Party
Joseline Pena-Melnyk Democratic Party
Population128,118
Race48.63% White, 29.65% Black, 9.68% Asian, 7.69% Other, 3.83% Two or More Races, 0.45% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.07% Pacific Islander

Maryland's twenty-first state house district is held by Democratic Representatives Ben Barnes, Mary Lehman, and Joseline Pena-Melnyk.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 128,118 civilians reside within Maryland's twenty-first state house district. Maryland state delegates represent an average of 40,947 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 37,564 residents.

About the office

Members of the Maryland House of Delegates serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Maryland legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.

Qualifications

Section 9 of Article 3 of the Maryland Constitution states:

A person is eligible to serve as a Senator or Delegate, who on the date of his election, (1) is a citizen of the State of Maryland, (2) has resided therein for at least one year next preceding that date, and (3) if the district which he has been chosen to represent has been established for at least six months prior to the date of his election, has resided in that district for six months next preceding that date.

If the district which the person has been chosen to represent has been established less than six months prior to the date of his election, then in addition to (1) and (2) above, he shall have resided in the district for as long as it has been established.

A person is eligible to serve as a Senator, if he has attained the age of twenty-five years, or as a Delegate, if he has attained the age of twenty-one years, on the date of his election.

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$50,330/year$106/day for lodging; $47/day for meals.

Vacancies

The governor is responsible for filling all vacancies in the house.

The governor has 30 days after the vacancy to make an appointment based on the recommendations of the political party committee that holds the vacant seat. The political party committee has up to 30 days after the vacancy to submit a list of recommended candidates to the governor. If the party committee fails to act within the 30 day deadline, the governor has 15 days to appoint a person from the political party that last held the seat.

The person appointed to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.

Elections

2018

General election
General election for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Ben Barnes (D)
26.3
27,567

Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D)
25.7
26,889

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Mary Lehman (D)
25.6
26,809

Richard Douglas (R)
8.1
8,519

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Chike Anyanwu (R)
7.9
8,313

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Ray Ranker (Unaffiliated)
6.2
6,472
Other/Write-in votes
0.2
234

Total votes: 104,803
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D)
30.0
8,770

Ben Barnes (D)
25.5
7,449

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Mary Lehman (D)
18.9
5,538

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Matt Dernoga (D)
18.2
5,316

Brencis Smith (D)
4.0
1,169

James McDowell Jr. (D)
3.5
1,027

Total votes: 29,269
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 (3 seats)

Richard Douglas and Chike Anyanwu advanced from the Republican primary for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Richard Douglas (R)
53.9
1,492

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Chike Anyanwu (R)
46.1
1,274

Total votes: 2,766


2014

Elections for the Maryland House of Delegates took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 24, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 25, 2014. Incumbents Ben Barnes, Barbara A. Frush and Joseline Pena-Melnyk were unopposed in the Democratic primary. Katherine Butcher was unopposed in the Republican primary. Barnes, Frush and Pena-Melnyk defeated Butcher for three seats in the general election.

Maryland House of Delegates District 21, General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBarbara Frush Incumbent 28.9% 18,157
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBen Barnes Incumbent 27.4% 17,235
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJoseline Pena-Melnyk Incumbent 26.8% 16,880
Republican Katherine Butcher 16.9% 10,610
Total Votes 62,882

2010

Elections for the office of Maryland House of Delegates consisted of a primary election on September 14, 2010, and a general election on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 6, 2010. Incumbents Ben Barnes (D), Barbara Frush (D) and Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D) defeated Scott Dibiasio (R), Kat Nelson (R) and Jason Papanikolas (R) in the general election. Barnes, Frush and Pena-Melnyk defeated Brian McDaniel and Devin Tucker in the Democratic primary. Debiasio, Nelson and Papanikolas were unopposed in the Republican primary.

Maryland House of Delegates, District 21, General Election, 2010

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBen Barnes Incumbent 25.2% 18,954
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngBarbara Frush Incumbent 24.8% 18,689
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJoseline Pena-Melnyk Incumbent 24.5% 18,457
Republican Scott Dibiasio 8.2% 6,131
Republican Kat Nelson 8% 6,013
Republican Jason Papanikolas 7.7% 5,822
Libertarian K. Bryan Walker 1.5% 1,151
Total Votes 75,217

Maryland House of Delegates, District 21 Democratic Primary, 2010

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Maryland House of Delegates District 21 raised a total of $918,513. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $22,963 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Maryland House of Delegates District 21

Year Amount Candidates Average
2014 $122,763 4 $30,691
2012 $14,875 3 $4,958
2010 $214,689 9 $23,854
2008 $63,200 3 $21,067
2006 $318,309 9 $35,368
2004 $81,526 3 $27,175
2002 $103,151 9 $11,461
Total $918,513 40 $22,963