UPDATE: The Charles County Board of Elections emergency meeting began at 2:30 p.m. and lasted approximately three hours and 48 minutes, during which the board entered closed session to review documents and consult with legal counsel before voting to restore Patterson to active status for the 2026 primary election ballot.
elLA PLATA, Md. — An emergency meeting of the Charles County Board of Elections is underway Wednesday afternoon following the disqualification of Commissioner Ralph E. Patterson II from seeking re-election, with Patterson’s attorney appearing before the board.
The Board of Supervisors began its meeting at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the Charles County Board of Elections office on E. Charles Street in La Plata. Notice of the emergency meeting was posted at 9:33 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2026, on Charles County Board of Elections Facebook page.
During the emergency session, Timothy Maloney identified himself during roll call as Patterson’s attorney and is present for the meeting.
The board voted to enter a closed session under the Maryland Open Meetings Act, citing provisions in the General Provisions Article §3-305 to discuss personnel matters and to consult with legal counsel.
The emergency meeting follows an update to the Maryland State Board of Elections candidate listing, which shows Patterson’s status as “disqualified” as of Monday, March 23, after his 2025 financial disclosure form was submitted late.
Patterson, a Democrat, currently serves as vice president of the Charles County Board of County Commissioners and has represented District 4 since December 2022. He filed for re-election and, as of the candidate filing deadline, was running unopposed.
Under Maryland election law, candidates must meet a series of filing and eligibility requirements to appear on the ballot, including submitting a certificate of candidacy and required financial disclosures by established deadlines. For the 2026 election cycle, the filing deadline was Feb. 25, 2026.
The BayNet has reached out to the Charles County Board of Elections to determine the next steps in the election process following the disqualification and is awaiting comment. A request for comment has also been sent to Patterson.
Watch Charles County, Maryland – Board of Elections meetings on YouTube here.
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