Steve Bolen, a Marriottsville resident, has entered the race for the District 5 seat on the Howard County Council, focusing on transparency and accountability while fighting for Western Howard County issues and Democratic values.
“I think that people have helped me get to where I am, and now it’s my turn to help people get to where they want to go,” Bolen said.
Bolen, 62, ran for state delegate in 2018 and 2022, losing both races. He explained that he wanted to run for County Council because he “has life’s work left undone.” Bolen said he has a “strong need” to help people, something instilled in him from his parents, who were public school teachers. After serving the country for nearly 27 years as a federal officer — he is now retired — and participating in community advocacy, “this is just my calling,” he said.
Even when he didn’t win previous elections, Bolen said he never stopped his work in the community. He served on various commissions and boards in the county and managed large budgets and teams of people.
Bolen hopes the public will trust that he will make the best decisions for individuals and families, he said. He is using public campaign financing through the Citizens’ Election Fund, which offers matching county funds for candidates to limit the role of large private donors. Bolen has pledged not to accept “dark money” or donations from special interest groups.
“And I for one, I’m getting kind of tired, and probably maybe other people are, of having people running for office to tell us one thing, promise the moon, get elected, and seeming like they do something else,” Bolen said.
District 5 covers about 50% of the land area in Howard County, spanning the western area of Highland, Woodbine, Glenwood, Mount Airy, Woodstock, Cooksville, West Friendship, Dayton and Glenelg. Portions of Ellicott City, Clarksville, Marriottsville and Sykesville are also in the district. The seat is currently held by the lone Republican on the council, David Yungmann, who is not running for reelection.
Bolen said he is seeking to protect the peace and tranquility of the open green spaces and farms that draw so many to Western Howard County. In the west, especially, there will always be pressure for commercial development, he said, but it is critical to be sensible when addressing the issue.
“And so, I’m all about a pragmatic, common sense, data-driven, community sentiment approach to whatever issue we face, you know, whether it’s this big, huge development issue or, who knows what issue will be the issue going forward in our community,” Bolen said.
The county must also be cautious about overdevelopment leading to further crowding in overburdened schools, Bolen said. Over the past 17 years, he’s seen new development popping up around the area, and he said he worries about traffic congestion, an overloaded landfill and the human aspect of increased stress.
Like others running for County Council, the school system is a top priority for Bolen. The county has to attract more teachers to the public school system and lessen their workloads, he said. An excellent education must be available to all children, he said, supported by a fully funded school system that returns to the basics of teaching reading, arithmetic and writing.
While there is a heavy focus on schools, there must also be a focus on seniors, Bolen said. As he takes care of his aging parents, he recognizes the need to support seniors and their caregivers. It’s important to fight for senior housing affordability and the county’s senior centers, which provide social and recreational outlets, Bolen said.
Public safety and health are other priorities for Bolen, he said. Despite what crime statistics say, if people “don’t feel safe, then they’re not safe,” Bolen said. At the same time, Bolen wants to fight for Democratic values he believes in, such as LGBTQ+ rights, women’s reproductive rights and stronger gun policies.
“I want to be a conduit, to be the voice for people, a lot of people who are underserved that need our voice,” Bolen said.
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