Ashton to lead Rockville United slate in 2023 election

(L-R: Kate Fulton, Izola Shaw, Paul Scott,
Monique Ashton and Marissa Valeri

A perennial feature of Rockville city elections has been candidate slates. 2023 will see that streak continue with yesterday's announcement of a Rockville United slate. Mayoral candidate Monique Ashton will head up the five person slate, which was revealed at her campaign launch event in Rockville Town Square on Saturday afternoon. Joining Ashton on the Rockville United slate are City Council candidates Kate Fulton, Paul Scott, Izola Shaw, and Marissa Valeri. 

“I am proud to stand beside these four people and look forward to working with them to govern the city,” Ashton said at yesterday's event in Rockville Town Square. “Together, we can ensure that all voices within the city are heard and that Rockville remains vibrant, safe, and desirable for our children and grandchildren.”

With several additional City Council candidates being certified by the Rockville Board of Supervisors of Elections last Thursday, there are now 12 people running for 6 Council seats. Councilmember Mark Pierzchala is the only other candidate for mayor who has been certified by the BOSOE as of this morning.

It's possible that other slates of candidates may form in response; this has happened before. Slates can gain advantage simply by providing a short-cut for voters who don't want to research every candidate running. But they can also turn off other voters who don't like being told who to vote for. And some candidates may find an independent run allows them to distinguish themselves better in a crowded field, where they may have winning niche issues that a broader slate message would ignore.

The City Council candidates who are not part of the Rockville United slate are Danniel Belay, Richard Gottfried, Harold Hodges, Barry Jackson, Ricky Mui, incumbent City Councilmember David Myles, Anita Neal Powell, and Adam Van Grack.

Photo courtesy Rockville United