MoCo Board of Elections validates 8K signatures for Stop the Spend initiative 

At least 10K valid signatures needed to place budget-limiting measure on November ballot; 2.5K left to review

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August 11, 2026 11:05 a.m.

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The Montgomery County Board of Elections on Monday announced it has verified 7,999 petition signatures submitted by the Committee to Control Montgomery County Spending — not yet enough to place a proposed budget-limiting measure on the November ballot. 

Monday was the deadline for the board to complete its review of the initial 11,408 signatures the committee submitted on July 21.  

On July 27, the committee submitted another 2,524 signatures. The board must complete its review of the second batch by Aug. 17, according to a Monday press release. The deadline cannot be extended under Maryland’s election law, Board President David Naimon previously told Bethesda Today.  

It is common for some portion of the signatures submitted for citizen-led ballot initiatives to be thrown out, which is why committees typically submit more than the required 10,000. According to the State Board of Elections, signatures may be deemed invalid for reasons such as inconsistencies between printed and signed names or missing contact information.  

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If at least 10,000 signatures for the “Stop the Spend” initiative are deemed valid by the board by next week, voters will decide in November whether to amend the county charter to tie year-over-year spending increases to the regional rate of inflation unless all 11 members of the County Council vote to exceed the rate.   

The current county charter requires that seven councilmembers vote to pass the operating budget when the amount increases by a percentage higher than the regional rate of inflation. The charter also limits the dollar amount of the operating budget through spending affordability guidelines, which the council must adopt as part of the annual budget process. 

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine