Esther Wells
Republican · MD
Esther Wells is the Republican candidate for Montgomery County (Maryland) Executive on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. She is an accountant.
Where Esther Wells stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (16 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (4 records), Housing Affordability (3 records),
Opposes
Environment and Public Health (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (10 support · 1 oppose), Social Programs and Welfare (4 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 oppose
Wells testified against Expedited Bills 19-26 and 24-26, opposing six-month to two-year data-center permit moratoria and arguing they would obstruct private investment, economic development, and infrastructure supporting state-priority industries.
June 16, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 16 support
Wells testified against Bill 29-26's restrictions on hiring former immigration-enforcement personnel, arguing for public impact statements, transparent stakeholder discussions, protection of merit-based civil service, and fully staffed public-safety departments.
July 14, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: wtop.com
Wells supported county use of AI for repetitive and high-volume work, including permitting, licensing, MC311, and DHHS, paired with employee upskilling and real-time dashboards to monitor spending and reduce redundancies.
June 20, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells proposed eliminating $1.3 million for eleven new DHHS administrative positions and $1 million in salary adjustments, using automation for repetitive Medicaid and inquiry work instead of making temporary grant-funded expansion permanent.
June 17, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells testified against Expedited Bills 19-26 and 24-26, opposing six-month to two-year data-center permit moratoria and arguing they would obstruct private investment, economic development, and infrastructure supporting state-priority industries.
June 16, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells proposed an affordability plan combining tax reductions, automation of high-volume county services, elimination of funded vacancies, sunset of temporary programs, and a public dashboard benchmarking nonprofit contracts.
June 13, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells proposed private-sector job growth through lower property, income, and energy taxes, faster permitting, and a forensic audit to redirect waste and improve the county's competitiveness.
June 10, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Testified to the Montgomery County Council in support of a gun-law rewrite, with amendments, and asked the council to publish what it spent on outside lawyers defending its earlier gun rules (Expedited Bill 23-26).
June 9, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomerycountymd.granicus.com
Wells opposed proposed property and income tax increases and special taxing districts and proposed automation, eliminating funded vacancies outside public safety, ending temporary COVID-era programs, restructuring rent-stabilization staff, outcome-linked school funding, and procurement and grant audits.
June 1, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells said her three county-executive goals were lowering property, income, and energy taxes while accelerating permits; conducting a forensic operating-budget audit; and tying school funding above maintenance of effort to measurable academic gains.
May 29, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells urged the County Council to reject property- and income-tax increases, close an estimated $446.3 million structural gap, avoid using one-time reserves for ongoing costs, temper pay adjustments, and prioritize public safety, education, and transportation.
April 9, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells publicly endorsed Shebra Evans, Brenda Diaz, and Rita Montoya for the 2024 school board and described leading a budget forum, voter guide, and candidate debate through the Montgomery County Taxpayers League.
November 4, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: cleanslatemoco.com
Wells called for stopping and scrutinizing MCPS's $160 million electric-school-bus contract after delivery failures and added expenditures, questioning why the school system was renegotiating with the vendor.
October 3, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: wtop.com
As Montgomery County Taxpayers League president, Wells urged the council to reverse the 4.7% property-tax increase, limit revenue growth to inflation, reduce reserves toward the required level, and strengthen fiscal discipline and taxpayer affordability.
April 8, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
In a school-board questionnaire, Wells said schools should have reopened sooner, supported considering open primaries, and proposed SMART spending requests, return-on-investment follow-up, budget transparency, and a funding formula that scales effective social programs.
October 13, 2022Supports Government Efficiency
Source: moderatelymoco.com
In a candidate questionnaire, Wells said her corporate-tax work had produced multi-million-dollar savings and proposed financial oversight of the MCPS budget, keeping schools open, refocusing on academic achievement, and requiring financial-literacy courses.
July 13, 2022Supports Government Efficiency
Source: patch.com
In testimony to the Montgomery County Board of Education, Wells urged quarterly community outreach, universal pre-K, SMART goals and return-on-investment review for spending proposals, and compensatory services for students with disabilities harmed by virtual learning.
April 7, 2022Supports Government Efficiency
Source: boarddocs.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 10 support · 1 oppose
Wells proposed eliminating $1.3 million for eleven new DHHS administrative positions and $1 million in salary adjustments, using automation for repetitive Medicaid and inquiry work instead of making temporary grant-funded expansion permanent.
June 17, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells proposed an affordability plan combining tax reductions, automation of high-volume county services, elimination of funded vacancies, sunset of temporary programs, and a public dashboard benchmarking nonprofit contracts.
June 13, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells proposed private-sector job growth through lower property, income, and energy taxes, faster permitting, and a forensic audit to redirect waste and improve the county's competitiveness.
June 10, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells supported stationing trained school resource officers inside MCPS schools and fully funding police staffing, arguing that officers are needed for crisis prevention and school safety.
June 7, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells opposed proposed property and income tax increases and special taxing districts and proposed automation, eliminating funded vacancies outside public safety, ending temporary COVID-era programs, restructuring rent-stabilization staff, outcome-linked school funding, and procurement and grant audits.
June 1, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells said her three county-executive goals were lowering property, income, and energy taxes while accelerating permits; conducting a forensic operating-budget audit; and tying school funding above maintenance of effort to measurable academic gains.
May 29, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells urged the council to reject a 3.3% income-tax rate and restore the $692 Income Tax Offset Credit, arguing that eliminating the credit would worsen displacement pressures on homeowners, including Black residents.
May 12, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells urged the County Council to reject property- and income-tax increases, close an estimated $446.3 million structural gap, avoid using one-time reserves for ongoing costs, temper pay adjustments, and prioritize public safety, education, and transportation.
April 9, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells called for stopping and scrutinizing MCPS's $160 million electric-school-bus contract after delivery failures and added expenditures, questioning why the school system was renegotiating with the vendor.
October 3, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: wtop.com
Wells testified against Bill 5-24's Child Investment Fund, arguing its birth-residency rule excluded immigrant children, its eventual payout would not materially reduce the wealth gap, and public funds should instead prioritize education and public safety.
June 18, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
As Montgomery County Taxpayers League president, Wells urged the council to reverse the 4.7% property-tax increase, limit revenue growth to inflation, reduce reserves toward the required level, and strengthen fiscal discipline and taxpayer affordability.
April 8, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 4 support
Testified to the Montgomery County Council in support of a gun-law rewrite, with amendments, and asked the council to publish what it spent on outside lawyers defending its earlier gun rules (Expedited Bill 23-26).
June 9, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: montgomerycountymd.granicus.com
Wells supported stationing trained school resource officers inside MCPS schools and fully funding police staffing, arguing that officers are needed for crisis prevention and school safety.
June 7, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells testified against Montgomery County Bill 2-24, the Freedom to Leave Act, arguing it would worsen police staffing and urging resident education about constitutional rights and analysis of guns and drugs recovered in consent searches.
February 27, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells publicly pressed MCPS to plan specific emergency accommodations for students with disabilities, including students who cannot run or remain quiet during an active-shooter response.
August 18, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: fox5dc.com
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 3 support
Wells proposed private-sector job growth through lower property, income, and energy taxes, faster permitting, and a forensic audit to redirect waste and improve the county's competitiveness.
June 10, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells said her three county-executive goals were lowering property, income, and energy taxes while accelerating permits; conducting a forensic operating-budget audit; and tying school funding above maintenance of effort to measurable academic gains.
May 29, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells urged the council to reject a 3.3% income-tax rate and restore the $692 Income Tax Offset Credit, arguing that eliminating the credit would worsen displacement pressures on homeowners, including Black residents.
May 12, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 4 support · 1 oppose
Wells testified against Bill 5-24's Child Investment Fund, arguing its birth-residency rule excluded immigrant children, its eventual payout would not materially reduce the wealth gap, and public funds should instead prioritize education and public safety.
June 18, 2024Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Wells testified to the Montgomery County Board of Education about staffing for the extended-school-year program serving students with disabilities and pressed for continuity and support for those learners.
June 6, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: voteforesther.com
In a school-board questionnaire, Wells said schools should have reopened sooner, supported considering open primaries, and proposed SMART spending requests, return-on-investment follow-up, budget transparency, and a funding formula that scales effective social programs.
October 13, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: moderatelymoco.com
Wells publicly pressed MCPS to plan specific emergency accommodations for students with disabilities, including students who cannot run or remain quiet during an active-shooter response.
August 18, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: fox5dc.com
In testimony to the Montgomery County Board of Education, Wells urged quarterly community outreach, universal pre-K, SMART goals and return-on-investment review for spending proposals, and compensatory services for students with disabilities harmed by virtual learning.
April 7, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: boarddocs.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Wells testified against Expedited Bills 19-26 and 24-26, opposing six-month to two-year data-center permit moratoria and arguing they would obstruct private investment, economic development, and infrastructure supporting state-priority industries.
June 16, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: assets.montgomerycountymd.gov
Track record — General
General · 8 records
Wells supported stationing trained school resource officers inside MCPS schools and fully funding police staffing, arguing that officers are needed for crisis prevention and school safety.
June 7, 2026
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells opposed proposed property and income tax increases and special taxing districts and proposed automation, eliminating funded vacancies outside public safety, ending temporary COVID-era programs, restructuring rent-stabilization staff, outcome-linked school funding, and procurement and grant audits.
June 1, 2026
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells said her three county-executive goals were lowering property, income, and energy taxes while accelerating permits; conducting a forensic operating-budget audit; and tying school funding above maintenance of effort to measurable academic gains.
May 29, 2026
Source: montgomeryperspective.com
Wells publicly endorsed Shebra Evans, Brenda Diaz, and Rita Montoya for the 2024 school board and described leading a budget forum, voter guide, and candidate debate through the Montgomery County Taxpayers League.
November 4, 2024
Source: cleanslatemoco.com
Wells testified to the Montgomery County Board of Education about staffing for the extended-school-year program serving students with disabilities and pressed for continuity and support for those learners.
June 6, 2023
Source: voteforesther.com
In a school-board questionnaire, Wells said schools should have reopened sooner, supported considering open primaries, and proposed SMART spending requests, return-on-investment follow-up, budget transparency, and a funding formula that scales effective social programs.
October 13, 2022
Source: moderatelymoco.com
In a candidate questionnaire, Wells said her corporate-tax work had produced multi-million-dollar savings and proposed financial oversight of the MCPS budget, keeping schools open, refocusing on academic achievement, and requiring financial-literacy courses.
July 13, 2022
Source: patch.com
In testimony to the Montgomery County Board of Education, Wells urged quarterly community outreach, universal pre-K, SMART goals and return-on-investment review for spending proposals, and compensatory services for students with disabilities harmed by virtual learning.
April 7, 2022
Source: boarddocs.com
Past race Esther Wells ran in:
- County Executive · November 3, 2026 · Montgomery County, Maryland