Judge of the Orphans' Court
Frederick County, Maryland
My vote power
Above average
Election date
November 3, 2026 · General election · 3 seats
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Above average · 64 out of 100
This district is a good deal smaller than its state, so each vote here carries more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 287,048 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(6,206,011 ÷ 287,048) ÷ ln(50,000) = 64.2, measured against a statewide vote in MD (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
Above average representation → My vote power: Above average.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information.
About this office
- Deciding trials in the county
- Ruling on evidence and setting sentences in criminal cases
- Deciding family, probate, and civil disputes
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights,
Candidates
Nonpartisan · declared
Karen Dacey is a 2026 candidate for Frederick County Judge of the Orphans' Court.
Nonpartisan · declared
Lois Jarman is a 2026 candidate for Frederick County Judge of the Orphans' Court.
Nonpartisan · declared
Rebecca Chmelik is a 2026 candidate for Frederick County Judge of the Orphans' Court.
Nonpartisan · declared
Shuan Butcher is a 2026 candidate for Frederick County Judge of the Orphans' Court.
Nonpartisan · declared
Susan Reeder Jessee is a 2026 candidate for Frederick County Judge of the Orphans' Court.
Nonpartisan · declared
Susan W. Wilson is the incumbent Frederick County Orphans' Court judge and the 2026 candidate.
Source: elections.maryland.gov