Bowie City Council Election 2023: Mayor, 6 Council Races On The Nov. 7 Ballot

BOWIE, MD — Residents will take to the polls Nov. 7 to choose a mayor and six city council members in Bowie.

There are more than a dozen candidates running for every council seat representing Districts 1-4 and two at-large seats. Two candidates are running for mayor, Troy Stewart and current Mayor Tim Adams.

Council members whose terms are up for election are:

• Roxy Ndebumadu, Mayor Pro Tem & District 4 Councilmember
• Gardner, Henri Gardner, At-Large Councilmember
• Jarryd Hawkins, At-Large Councilmember
• Michael Esteve, District 1 Councilmember
• Dufour Woolfley, District 2 Councilmember
• Clinton Truesdale, Sr., District 3 Councilmember

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 7. There are eight polling places for city elections; each district has two locations. Voters must vote at the polling place assigned to their neighborhood and address. A list of neighborhoods in each district and a map of each district with the polling place, is on the city of Bowie website.

According to the city of Bowie, voters do not have to register separately for city elections if they are registered with the Prince George’s County Board of Elections. Residents must live within the municipal limits of Bowie and be registered at their current address in order to vote in the city election.

In accordance with Section 6-30 of the City Code, any qualified voter of the city, can vote as an absentee voter in any general or special election. The application for an absentee ballot must be presented no later than 5 p.m. on the day before the election, Nov. 6, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. It can be presented by mail or delivered in person by the voter or the applicant's authorized agent.

When the application is received by mail, the board will issue the absentee voting ballot by return mail and when the application is presented in person by the voter or duly authorized agent, the board will issue the absentee voting ballot to the voter or duly authorized agent at the time of application.

All absentee ballots must be received by the time the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7.

Download the Absentee Ballot Application.

Mayoral candidate Troy Stewart did not participate in an interview with Patch; nor did current Mayor Adams. Below is an excerpt from Mayor Adams' biography on the city website:

On November 18, 2019, Adams was sworn into a four-year term as Mayor of the City of Bowie. He is the first African American to be elected mayor in the 138-year history of the city. In 1989, Adams founded and currently serves as president and CEO of Systems Application & Technologies, Inc. (SA-TECH). SATECH is headquartered in Maryland and is a technology and technical support company that provides services across the globe to clients in the air, land and naval forces of the Department of Defense.

A proud HBCU graduate, Adams holds a bachelor of science degree from Xavier University and a master of business administration degree from the University of New Orleans. He received a doctorate of business (Honoris Causa) from Bowie State University in May 2017.

Several of the Bowie county candidates shared information with Patch about their vision and goals if elected, as well as their educational background and professional experience. Three candidates did not: Monica Roebuck, Clinton Truesdale and Jenmarie Dewberry.

Dufour Woolfley

Woolfley works as a marketing manager and is the incumbent candidate for District 2. He said he will continue to prioritize public safety, support volunteer firefighters and ensure highly trained, community-oriented law enforcement in Bowie.

Preston W. Thomas III

Thomas works as an attorney, most recently with the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, and said he is running for office in order to "do more for my city."

Robert W. Day Sr.

Day works as an IT professional, has served on several local, regional and state committees, and is running for office because he has a "strong belief in the potential for positive change within our community."

Lisa Martin

Martin serves as a crisis interventionist and resource in Prince George’s County Public School System. She is running for office because she believes "we need a change in how our representatives must be more responsive to the needs of the people who they represent and not just be reactive. I know that I am that voice of change."

Babatunde Alegbeleye

Alegbeleye works as a nurse and has been an advocate within the community. He is running for office in order to "bring about increased citizen engagement in our democracy, diversity, equity and inclusion within our diverse and multicultural district; transparency; and public access to all city services and public safety. These will ensure and encourage input of different ideas; opinions and explore obstacles to change and outreach."

Dennis Brady

Brady is a retired electrical engineer and a U.S. Navy Veteran. He has held several local and regional positions and was a Bowie councilmember from 1994 to 2002 and 2003 to 2015. He's running again for office because of his "love of Bowie."

Wanda J. Rogers

Rogers works as a licensed realtor and office manager with her family-owned business. She is running for office because she "loves Bowie" and "My proven leadership abilities and commitment to professionalism and excellence have provided me with the skills necessary to help Bowie become better."

Roxy Ndebumadu

Ndebumadu serves as founder and chief executive officer of a software start-up. She was elected in 2019 as the youngest woman to serve on the Bowie City Council and the first African American woman to represent District 4 and was appointed to two state boards. She's seeking re-election "because I know just how prosperous this community can be. I want to build on the rich tapestry on diversity that we have win our community and take it to the next level using the unconventional approach of a political outsider."

Iyamide House

House happens to be chief executive officer of Sabanoh Mental Health and a mental health therapist. She is running for office to focus on the safety of residents, especially youth. "Bowie has an opportunity to bring more residents to the table and decide what our post pandemic future will be. I am committed to bringing everyone together and to help plan that future."

Mike Estève

Estve works for a nonprofit supporting children and adults with intellectual diabilities. He served on the Bowie City Council previously in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019 for a second term. He's running for re-election again because "We need experienced, clear-headed leaders at the helm who will thoughtfully and proactively work to address our challenges while preserving the safe, quiet community Bowie residents love."

Jarryd Hawkins

Hawkins works as the managing director of a local lobbying firm that focuses on environmental policy, healthcare and clean energy development. He's running for office because "I have the skillset, experiences and vision to serve on the Bowie City Council. I want to continue serving this city the way it has served me and my siblings, making it better for everyone."

Craig M. Muckle

Muckle is a 25-year resident of Bowie interested in serving my community in a larger way than he has previously done. He serves as the senior director of communications for the Council for Responsible Nutrition. He spent two years on the city’s BGE Task Force that helped address issues around power infrastructure and is th only candidate to have chaired both the city and county Chambers of Commerce.

The Bowie candidates' interview can be found by clicking on the links below:

• Meet Dufour Woolfley, Candidate For Bowie City Council
• Meet Preston W. Thomas III, Candidate For Bowie City Council
• Meet Robert W. Day, Sr., Candidate For Bowie City Council
• Meet Lisa Martin, Candidate For Bowie City Council
• Meet Babatunde Alegbeleye, Candidate For Bowie City Council
• Meet Dennis Brady, Candidate For Bowie City Council At-Large Seat
• Meet Wanda J. Rogers, Candidate For Bowie City Council At-Large Seat
• Meet Roxy Ndebumadu, Candidate For Bowie District 4 Councilmember
• Meet Iyamide House, Candidate For Bowie City Council District 3
• Meet Mike Estève, Candidate For Bowie City Council, District 1
• Meet Jarryd Hawkins, Candidate For Bowie City Council At-Large Seat
• Meet Craig M. Muckle, Candidate For Bowie City Council