Gaithersburg has picked a possible successor to Mayor Jud Ashman before voters decide his race for Montgomery County Council. City Council members conditionally selected Council Member Lisa Henderson to become mayor if Ashman wins the District 3 seat Nov. 3.
What’s Happening: Henderson is expected to take office during a special City Council session Nov. 9 if Ashman wins. She would serve as mayor until Gaithersburg’s November 2027 election.
What’s Important: The council acted before the mayor’s office became vacant. The city is also preparing to fill the council seat Henderson would leave behind.
Henderson joined the City Council in 2021 and served as council vice president from 2022 to 2023. She works as a program director for Montgomery County government and serves as Gaithersburg’s liaison to the Senior Advisory Committee.
The Timeline: Fourteen applicants sought the expected City Council opening. Seven were invited to speak at the Oct. 19 council meeting: Matthew Robert Amon, Alyssa Todaro Krumlauf, Laura Kathryn Winifred Searles, Jayson Leslie Spiegel, Christopher James Thoms, Carla Tanguay White and Shanika Tanise Whitehurst.
The council expects to choose the new member during a closed session Oct. 26. That person is scheduled to take office Nov. 9 and serve until the November 2027 city election.
The Rule: Section 35 of the city code lets the council appoint people to vacant seats. Voters can seek a special election for either appointed position by filing a petition with signatures from at least 20% of Gaithersburg’s registered voters. The petition must be filed within 30 days after the appointment.
What Happens Next: Gaithersburg’s November 2027 mayoral race will be for a two-year term, completing the rest of the four-year term that began in 2025.