Green, Working Class Parties Clear Maryland Threshold

Both minor-party gubernatorial tickets topped the 1% vote share needed to keep recognized status in Maryland.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Political Parties

Green, Working Class Parties Clear Maryland Threshold

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Green Party candidate Andy Ellis and Working Class Party candidate Cathy White each won about 2% of the vote in Maryland's gubernatorial race, as Democrat Wes Moore secured nearly 63%. Ellis's share, reported as 2.06% in Thursday's afternoon count, puts the Green Party back above the state's 1% requirement.

Why it matters

Maryland law requires a party's gubernatorial candidate to reach at least 1% of the vote to keep recognized status on the ballot. Had either party fallen short, restoring that status would have required collecting 10,000 signatures from registered voters.

The Green Party ticket's 2.06% and the Working Class ticket's 1.97% are preliminary figures from ongoing vote counting, both above the 1% recognition threshold. The Green ticket improved on its 0.73% share in 2022, though the final certified totals had not been released at the time of reporting.

The players

Andy Ellis

Green Party candidate for Maryland governor in 2026, whose vote share kept the party above the state's recognition threshold.

Cathy White

Working Class Party candidate for Maryland governor in 2026, whose roughly 2% share kept the party above the state's recognition threshold.

Wes Moore

Democratic governor of Maryland who won re-election with nearly 63% of the vote.

Dan Cox

Republican candidate for Maryland governor who received about 33% of the vote in 2026.

The details

Ellis, a Green Party candidate, and White, a Working Class Party candidate, ran alongside Democrat Wes Moore, who won nearly 63% of the vote, and Republican Dan Cox, who received 33%. The Green Party also fielded candidates for Congress, the General Assembly, Howard County executive and Charles County commissioner.

2018: Green Party gubernatorial ticket earned 0.5% of the vote.
2022: Green Party and Working Class tickets earned 0.73% and 0.86% respectively.
November 4, 2026: Maryland election held; both minor-party tickets exceeded 1%.
November 5, 2026: Ellis's vote share reported at 2.06% in Thursday's afternoon count.

Political Context

Maryland's 1% gubernatorial vote requirement is the mechanism that keeps minor parties on the ballot without petition drives. The Green Party's 2026 result improves on its 0.73% in 2022 and 0.5% in 2018, and the Working Class Party, which had no gubernatorial ticket in 2018, also cleared the threshold.

Because both parties cleared the threshold, the Green and Working Class Parties keep their recognized status and their place on future Maryland ballots without a 10,000-signature petition drive. The outcome means voters will continue to see these minor-party options on the ballot in upcoming elections.

The takeaway

Minor parties in Maryland remain on the ballot only by reaching 1% of the gubernatorial vote, so the margins in each election directly determine which options voters see next time.